If your brand lives in the minds of your audience, positioning is the place where it lives in
those minds.
Al Reis and Jack Trout introduced the concept of positioning in 1981. Here’s their
definition of positioning from their book, Positioning: The battle for your mind, “Posi-
tioning is an organized system for finding a window in the mind. It is based on the con-
cept that communication can only take place at the right time and under the right circum-
stances.” Think of positioning as that place in your prospects’ and clients’ minds where
your brand sets up housekeeping.
Positioning has a lot to do with differentiation. In other words, how you are different
from all the other bands and acts out there. Granted, there are some bands whose entire
act is all about copying some other band or solo performer. There are loads of Beatles
tribute bands. The same goes for Pink Floyd and many others. I saw an ad the other day
for a performer who impersonated Nat King Cole and another who cloned Madonna. But,
most artists want to develop their own sound and identity. That’s where positioning
comes in. As with your overall branding strategy, a positioning strategy begins with some
questions. Here are a few to help get you started.
- What, if any, position do you currently own in the minds of your fans?
This is, obviously, a good question for involving key fans and influencers with whom
you have a relationship. You may find that the image and position you think you’re pro-
jecting isn’t what the audience is thinking.
- What position do you want to own?
- What are the obstacles you must overcome to reach that position?