The reading level for this article is All Levels

 

What is business positioning

Company positioning is how your customer sees your company. So where you sit in the market place, whether that might be positioned at the lower end, middle or high end. This can apply to a business which is a manufacturer or a services industry.

Positioning explained

A good example of company positioning would be the UK main supermarkets, a very large industry with a handful of very large players. The companie’s strap line (a term or short line that neatly sums up where the company is coming from) will include and describe the company market positioning.

So the main supermarket food retailers are Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury and Marks & Spencer. They all have carefully placed and positioned themselves in the mind of their customers.

Asda’s strap line is “Permanently low prices” and they use a large rock which they often place outside their stores to symbolise that their low prices are set in stone and are aiming to always achieve a low price promise. This places them at the lower end of the market.

Then Tesco state “Every little helps” this indicates that though they might not be the cheapest they are very price conscience and trying to give their customers the very best value. So they are nearer the low to mid range of the market position.

Sainsbury’s strap line is “Good food cost less” now this is in the medium to high position so they are saying that they supply quality food but still aware of the price.

Marks & Spencer is simply “Your M&S” now this is in the higher end of positioning along with Waitrose, though M&S also sells mainly clothes it still has a high number of retail outlets and indicates that their food will be high quality to your total satisfaction and of course their foods is higher priced.

 

This Marketing article was written by Leon on 1/18/2008

Leon’s experience has covered a diverse set of industries and business sectors. They include engineering, retail, wholesale, property management, IT, construction and financial services (Having been fully qualified and authorised by the governments Financial Service Authority). He has managed to attract government contracts with his business. His background is in leadership, management, marketing, sales, team building and systemising businesses in order to greatly increase their value.