What positioning means
Positioning is the decision about what a business should be known for, by which clients and why, compared with the alternatives those clients consider. Every business has a position in buyers’ minds whether it chooses one or not. Positioning is the work of choosing it deliberately.
The alternatives matter as much as the business itself. A client choosing a contractor, a practice or an adviser compares a few options, which may include competitors, an in-house team or doing nothing. A position only works when it is clear how the business differs from those options. The same applies to a single project, as our guide to property development branding shows. As Michael Porter put it in What Is Strategy?, competitive strategy is about being different.
Why it matters earlier than it used to
Buyers now form much of their view before they speak to anyone. In its 2024 Buyer Experience Report, 6sense found that 81 per cent of business buyers already have a preferred supplier when they first make contact. A position that is clear on the website, in the reviews and in the proposal helps a business become that preferred supplier before the first conversation.
| Question | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| For | The clients you most want to win | Commercial and agricultural clients on the Western Downs |
| Who need | The problem they are trying to solve | A reliable electrical contractor for complex sites |
| The business is | The category they would place you in | An electrical contractor |
| Unlike | The alternatives they would otherwise choose | City contractors who travel in, or small residential electricians |
| Because | The proof that makes it believable | Local crews with commercial and agricultural projects across the region |
The positioning statement
A positioning statement records the decision in a form the whole team can use. The template on this page has five parts: who the business is for, what they need, the category the business belongs to, the alternatives it is compared with and the proof that makes the position believable. The worked example shows how a regional electrical contractor might complete it.
The statement is internal. Clients never see it in that form. They see its effects: a website that leads with the right work, messages that say the same thing everywhere and proposals that show the relevant proof.
Three tests for a strong position
First, it should be true today, supported by work the business has already done. Second, the best clients should recognise it as the reason they chose the business. Third, the closest competitor should not be able to sign the same statement. It is common for a first draft to fail the third test, because it describes qualities every business claims, such as quality, service and experience. The fix is usually more specific proof.
From position to presentation
Once the position is agreed, it becomes the brief for everything else: the key messages, the voice, the identity and the website. Zelexis develops the position with each client through its brand positioning work, before any design begins, because every later decision depends on it.
A useful next step
Something to try this week.
Fill in the template on this page for your own business, then test the result three ways. Is it true today? Would your best clients recognise it? Could your closest competitor sign the same statement? If the answer to the last question is yes, keep working on the proof.