As a marketer I'm always on the look-out for examples of good marketing. I must admit, I don't often see great examples when it comes to small budget, retail advertising. But that changed recently. Over the past few months, I have seen three examples of local yogurt shops all embracing the concept of brand positioning.
These yogurt shops seem to understand they are selling more than just dessert. They also seem to understand that to be successful, they need to establish a distinct brand positioning in the mind of their customers. Otherwise, yogurt is yogurt is yogurt.
These three yogurt shops are all within a one mile radius of my house, so they are competing for the same customers. But each has it's own distinct positioning. One has adopted the positioning of "making your own" yogurt dessert, or DIY. Another promotes itself as the healthy alternative for ice cream lovers. The third does promotional, fund raising tie-ins with local schools and sports teams.
All three are selling frozen yogurt. Yet all three have distinct brand positions. And the best part is, it doesn't cost any more to market this way, than to market themselves as a generic yogurt shop. I'd say these guys 'get it." Kudos to them.
Can you apply this thinking to your small business? What brand positioning can you adopt to separate you from your competition?