#47: Why do marketers suck at positioning? With April Dunford

Summary

In this episode of 'Nudge to Consumer Psychology Podcast', host Phil Agnew explores the common pitfalls in marketing positioning with positioning specialist April Dunford. They discuss why marketers often fail to effectively communicate a product's unique value, using the miso soup analogy to illustrate the importance of context in perception. Dunford emphasizes that positioning is not just about messaging or branding but is foundational to all marketing efforts, defining the competitive alternative, differentiating value, target audience, and market category. The episode highlights the necessity of clear positioning for successful marketing strategies.

Takeaways

• 📌 Positioning is a misunderstood concept in marketing, often confused with messaging, taglines, vision, or branding.
• 📚 Rory Sutherland's book 'Alchemy' uses the miso soup analogy to illustrate how positioning can dramatically change product perception.
• 🎯 April Dunford emphasizes that positioning is not just about branding or outcomes but is fundamental to all marketing efforts.
• 🔑 Positioning is defined as how an offering is uniquely qualified to deliver value to a well-defined set of customers, including the competitive alternative, differentiation, value, target audience, and market category.
• 💡 Context setting is crucial in positioning; it provides consumers with the necessary background to quickly understand what an offer is and its value.
• 🎬 The opening scene of a movie analogy is used to explain the importance of context in positioning, setting the stage for understanding the rest of the story or marketing message.
• 🚫 Without proper positioning, marketing and sales efforts can be misdirected, with teams spending time undoing incorrect assumptions rather than highlighting unique value.
• 🎻 The story of Joshua Bell playing in a subway demonstrates how context can drastically affect perception and value, even for something as universally recognized as music.
• 🔄 Marketers often struggle with positioning due to a focus on tactics and a lack of perceived control over target markets or product definitions.
• 🛑 April Dunford's experience shows that without clear positioning, even the best marketing tactics can fail, leading to 'polishing poo' rather than creating value.
• 🛠️ Effective positioning is foundational to successful marketing, and marketers must ensure it is addressed before moving on to tactics and campaigns.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the podcast episode?

The main topic of the podcast episode is the importance of positioning in marketing and why marketers often struggle with it.

Who is the host of the podcast?

Phil Agnew is the host of the podcast.

What is the example used in the podcast to illustrate the importance of positioning?

The example used is Rory Sutherland's hypothetical scenario involving miso soup, which demonstrates how positioning can change our perception of a product.

Who is April Dunford and what is her role in the podcast?

April Dunford is a positioning specialist and a globally recognized expert in positioning and market strategy. She is invited on the show to discuss the confusion surrounding positioning and to provide insights on effective positioning.

What is the definition of positioning according to the podcast?

Positioning defines how your offering is uniquely qualified to deliver some kind of value that a well-defined set of customers cares a lot about.

What are the five key elements included in the definition of positioning mentioned in the podcast?

The five key elements are the competitive alternative, the differentiation in capabilities, the differentiated value, the ideal customer profile or target audience, and the market category or the market you intend to win.

What is the concept of 'context setting' in positioning as discussed in the podcast?

Context setting in positioning refers to providing the necessary context for customers to quickly understand what the product or service is, its value, and what to expect from it, similar to the opening scene of a movie setting the scene for the story.

Why is context setting important in marketing according to the podcast?

Context setting is important because it helps customers quickly understand the product or service, its value, and how it's different from competitors, which in turn reduces the need for extensive marketing efforts to explain these aspects.

What is the example of Joshua Bell used in the podcast to illustrate the impact of context on perception?

The example of Joshua Bell, a world-famous violinist, playing in a subway station instead of a concert hall shows how changing the context can significantly affect the perception and reception of the same performance.

What is the 'status quo bias' mentioned by April Dunford in the podcast?

Status quo bias is the resistance to change something because it has always been done a certain way, which can hinder the recognition and rectification of poor positioning.

Why do marketers struggle with positioning according to April Dunford?

Marketers struggle with positioning because they tend to focus on tactics rather than the foundational aspects of marketing like positioning. They may also feel that defining the target market or the value proposition is not their job, leading to weak inputs and outputs in their marketing efforts.

What is the advice given by April Dunford for dealing with poor positioning?

April Dunford advises that marketers should not accept poor positioning and should drive efforts to fix it by working with the CEO, head of sales, and head of product, as it is a team sport and fixing positioning is crucial for the success of marketing tactics.

What is the 'Science of Marketing' course mentioned in the podcast?

The 'Science of Marketing' course is a new offering by the podcast host that aims to help listeners understand the science behind effective marketing, covering consumer psychology and its application in marketing strategies.