2 Positioning Part 1 The Marketing Seminar from Seth Godin

Summary

This script delves into the concept of positioning in marketing, as originally introduced by Jack Trout and later expanded upon. It explains how positioning is not about aggressive competition but about finding a niche in the consumer's mind by linking new ideas to familiar concepts. Using examples like Tesla, Volvo, and Duke University, the script illustrates how effective positioning helps consumers make sense of crowded markets by offering them a simple, relatable narrative. It emphasizes empathy in marketing, encouraging marketers to understand and cater to the existing beliefs and needs of their target audience, thereby finding a 'hole' to fill with their product or service.

Takeaways

• 📖 Jack Trout's 1969 article, later turned into a book with Al Ries, introduced the concept of 'Positioning', often misunderstood by marketers.
• 🤔 Positioning is misconceived as a battle to differentiate products to outcompete others, while it's actually about making a place in the consumer's crowded mind.
• 📚 The human brain is overwhelmed by ads and information, making it challenging to adopt new ideas without relating them to existing knowledge.
• 🖥 Examples like Tesla being an 'electric Mercedes' illustrate how positioning helps consumers relate new products to familiar concepts.
• 🚗 Volvo's positioning as 'the safest car' demonstrates how a clear, singular message can effectively differentiate a product in a crowded market.
• 💎 Empathy in marketing means serving the customer's need for shorthand to understand and categorize products, not just pushing differentiation.
• 📈 Positioning fills a 'slot' in the consumer's mind by aligning a product with pre-existing beliefs or knowledge, not by displacing competitors.
• 🔬 Photoshop's example shows positioning can be about offering variations (e.g., free, high-powered, simplified) that fit into what consumers already understand.
• 💻 Marketers need to understand their audience deeply to 'own' a position in the market by being 'like X but with Y difference'.
• 👨‍💻 The challenge for marketers is to identify and articulate the position their brand occupies in the minds of their consumers based on their preferences and choices.

Q & A

Who is credited with codifying the concept of positioning in marketing?

Jack Trout is credited with codifying the concept of positioning in marketing.

What book did Trout and Al Ries write that focuses on the concept of positioning?

Trout and Al Ries wrote the book 'Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind' focusing on the concept of positioning.

How is the brain's capacity for processing information compared to previous generations according to the script?

According to the script, your brain is 50 times more crowded than your parents' brains, and their brain was 50 times more crowded than their parents' brain, making you 2500 times more crowded than your grandparents.

What example is given to explain how people categorize new information?

The example given is Tesla, which is categorized as 'sort of an electric Mercedes', to explain how people categorize new information by relating it to something they already understand.

What marketing strategy did Volvo use to position itself, according to the script?

Volvo used the marketing strategy of positioning itself as the safest car, appealing to those who prioritize driving the safest car.

What does the script suggest is the essence of positioning in marketing?

The essence of positioning in marketing, according to the script, is finding a hook or a shorthand for an idea that the customer can easily process and remember.

How does the script differentiate between the traditional misunderstood version of positioning and its proposed understanding?

The traditional misunderstood version of positioning is about pushing one's point of view and differentiating products to box out competitors, whereas the proposed understanding focuses on serving the customer by providing them with a shorthand to easily understand and remember the product.

What role does empathy play in positioning according to the script?

Empathy plays a crucial role in positioning by helping marketers serve customers better by understanding their needs and providing them with a simple way to think about what is being offered.

What does the script imply about the relationship between positioning and product/service development?

The script implies that positioning is closely tied to product/service development, suggesting that marketers should develop products or services that fit into a currently open slot in the customers' minds.

How does the script suggest marketers should approach the challenge of positioning?

The script suggests that marketers should approach the challenge of positioning by being empathetic, knowledgeable about the customer's choices, and by finding a unique position that fills a specific need or gap in the market.