Mastering Product Positioning with Mike Gospe: Moderated by Cindy F. Solomon

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Moderator:
Cindy F. Solomon, CPM, CPMM @cindyfsolomon
Today’s Speaker
Presenter:
Mike Gospe
Marketing Guru, KickStart Alliance
mikeg@kickstartall.com
www.kickstartall.com

Now a UDEMY online training course!

Poll Question #1
How familiar are you with “product
positioning”?
 Very familiar. I lead these exercises often.
 Somewhat familiar. I’ve participated in these exercises before.
 I know what they are, but I’ve never participated in the exercise.
 This is a brand new concept to me.

Introducing
The
Better
Mousetrap
This is a real ad that appeared in
several popular magazines in 1955.

This is the
headline

Actual size: 15 ½ x 3 ½ x
15 inches
Weight 12 lbs
(not including 2 ½ quarts of water)

It’s for a lot of people
who work in a lot of
different places
Grain Elevators * Restaurants * Warehouses * Food
Processers * Manufacturers * Chain Stores * Farms
* Meat Packers * Institutions * Ships * Homes
* Orchards * All Others Needing Rodent Control.
MASS CATCHING
Our record 102 mice to one setting of 8 hours.
Amazing revolutionary method of eliminating
one of the most dangerous and destructive
mammals on earth – MICE!
* FOR *

SELF SETT MOUSE TRAP insures complete destruction of
mice, ticks, lice, fleas and all other vermin in a quick,
sanitary, efficient manner.
SELF SETT MOUSE TRAP is neat in appearance, can be
placed anywhere without attracting attention or causing
embarrassment.
SELF SETT MOUSE TRAP is a sanitary, sealed, locked
unit: two traps in one, but simple in construction.
SELF SETT MOUSE TRAP will prevent FILTH AND
DISEASE, LAW SUITS, POSSIBLE FIRE LOSSES, AND
OTHER COSTLY DAMAGE.
BE PREPARED to face city, county, and federal inspectors
who may inspect your place of business at any time
without notice.
And it offers a
lot of benefits

$29.95
Nearest competitive alternative: 5

Advertising Strategy

There are
4
fundamental flaws
with the positioning
strategy behind this
ad.

Flaw #1
1 • Who is the target
audience?
x Everybody
x Trying to be “all things to all
people”

Flaw #2
2
• The Self Sett Mousetrap is
the name of the product
• But the category makes no
sense because . . .
x This product is neither sanitary,
self-setting, nor portable!

Flaw #3
3
• Too many benefits
x Aimed at too many
audiences
x A laundry list of benefits
that may or may not be
meaningful

Flaw #4
4
• Not compelling vs.
competitive alternative
x $29.95 vs. 5 cents
x Even if catching 102 mice,
$29.95 vs. $5.10
x Complicated pricing doesn’t
equate to value

The messaging in this ad was. . .
X Confusing
X Off-target
X Irrelevant
. . .because there was no
positioning strategy to guide the
messaging!!!

Poll Question #2
Which of these issues have you experienced?
 We’re trying to appeal to “everybody”.
 We don’t know our target audience very well.
 We’re communicating too many benefits.
 We confuse features and benefits.
 Our product is a commodity. We don’t have a real differentiator.

The mousetrap ad is a metaphor for problems
commonly encountered by high-tech marketers
Courtesy of Rob Blair: www.robbieblair.com

V A L U E

Control is an
illusion.
Customers &
prospects define
your position in
the market.

Positioning is
what you do
to the mind of
the prospect
So, how do we
influence the
minds of our
prospects?

The positioning statement
guides product development
& marketing programs
A marketing tool for internal use only

Poll Question #3
What is a “positioning statement”?
 It’s a tagline or slogan.
 It’s covered in the data sheet.
 It’s the product requirements document (PRD).
 It’s whatever the product marketing manager says it is.
 None of the above.

A positioning statement is not . . .

Tagline

Tagline
Company history

Data sheet
Company history
Tagline

Product plans
Data sheet
Company history
Tagline

Definition: A positioning statement is . . .
A tool used by marketers to gain internal
agreement and clarity around the specific value
being offered to specific target audience
segments (personas).

Definition: A positioning statement is . . .
A tool used by marketers to gain internal
agreement and clarity around the specific value
being offered to specific target audience
segments (personas).
However, the positioning statement is not
the message to the customer.

It’s all in how you position!

Positioning Statement Format
To:
is the one
that
unlike
.
(One Target/Persona)
(Product/Company Name)
(Category)
(Key Customer Benefit)
(Differentiator)

• Introduction: Why we need a “positioning
statement”
1. Line 1 – Target segmentation & the persona
2. Lines 2 & 3 – Names & categories
3. Line 4 – A good key benefit
4. Line 5 – Competitive differentiation
5. Positioning statements in action
6. How to bring positioning statements to life
• Conclusion
Lessons in Mastering Product Positioning
www.udemy.com

The cure for jetlag

Frequent Flyer Business Executive (Globetrotter persona)
EXAMPLE
To:
(One Target/Persona)

© AIPMM 2014 www.aipmm.com©Spice Catalyst 2013
The “globetrotter”
persona focuses
on travel-related
concerns and
priorities of the
traveling
executive.

FlyRight
EXAMPLE
(Product/Company Name)
Frequent Flyer Business Executive (Globetrotter persona)To:

EXAMPLE
To:
is the one
(Category)
FlyRight
jet lag remedy

EXAMPLE
To:
is the one
that
FlyRight
jet lag remedy
allows you to stay healthy through the flight and arrive at
your destination feeling as invigorated as when you left so
you can get right to work
(Key Customer Benefit)

EXAMPLE
FlyRight
jet lag remedy
allows you to stay healthy through the flight and arrive at
your destination feeling as invigorated as when you left so
you can get right to work
To:
is the one
that
unlike
sleeping pills and caffeinated drinks that provide temporary
relief, but take a huge toll on productivity later on.
(Differentiator)

A near disaster!

An example of the wrong headline!
• ORIGINAL HEADLINE:
Agilent Introduces High-performance
Signal Generator with New Low Price
This headline was written without the benefit of
a positioning statement to guide the messaging.

Creating & evaluating positioning statements
 To RF communications equipment production
engineers:
• the Agilent E4438C ESG is the one
• vector signal generator that
• offers the lowest cost-per-test
• unlike other solutions that are incomplete, limited in
scope, and require additional costly components to
conduct the same series of tests.
Target audienceAgilent’s Positioning Statement

• To RF communications equipment production
engineers:
 the Agilent E4438C ESG is the one
Product Name
Agilent’s Positioning Statement

engineers:
 vector signal generator that
Category

engineers:
Benefit

Does “New Low Price” = “Lowest Cost per Test”???

• Actually, our signal
generator costs
MORE than the
competition!

engineers:
Differentiator

Positioning statements drive good messaging
REVISED HEADLINE: Agilent’s
New High-performance Signal
Generator Reduces Test Costs
This is NOT a story
about low price!
It’s a story
about lowering
test costs!
X ORIGINAL HEADLINE:
Agilent Introduces High-performance
Signal Generator with New Low Price

6 questions to guide your positioning statement
1. Who is the product for?
2. What problem are they trying to solve?
3. Why will they select your product?
4. How will they use it?
5. What is the nearest competitive alternative?
6. How will their life be better, having selected your product?

Don’t fall victim to your own
“mousetrap”
 Focus on the solving the customers’ problem
 Be relevant!
 Follow the positioning statement template

Poll Question #4
Which of the following statements is true?
 The advertising manager owns the final positioning statement.
 The product marketing manager drafts the positioning statement alone.
 The positioning statement should be built by a cross-functional team.
 Sales people are never involved in the positioning statement exercise.
 Engineering determines the positioning statement.

Positioning
Statements work!

Special Offer for AIPMM
• 50% off (a $96 value) thru June
• A 6 hour course
• Lectures, case studies, examples
• Templates & exercises
• http://tinyurl.com/MIKEGOSPE
Now a UDEMY online training course!

Moderator:
Cindy F. Solomon, CPM, CPMM @cindyfsolomon
Q & A
Presenter:
Mike Gospe
KickStart Alliance
mikeg@kickstartall.com
www.kickstartall.com
http://tinyurl.com/MIKEGOSPE

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