Definition
Positioning is the strategic discipline of deciding how a brand wants to be perceived in the mind of its target customer — what category it competes in, who it's for, what makes it different, and what specific frame of reference it wins on.
Positioning is the most upstream marketing decision a business makes. Everything downstream — messaging, design, pricing, sales scripts, ads — flows from it. Get positioning right and the rest is much easier; get it wrong and no amount of execution rescues the work.
A useful positioning statement names a specific competitive frame ('the most senior alternative to the Big Four for mid-market audit'), a specific audience ('UAE mid-market firms with cross-border operations'), and a specific differentiator ('partner-level engagement on every project'). Vague positioning produces vague brands.
Origin
The modern positioning discipline was formalised by Al Ries and Jack Trout in their 1981 book 'Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind.' April Dunford's 'Obviously Awesome' (2019) updated it for B2B and SaaS contexts.
How it works
- Identify the competitive set the target customer is actually comparing you to.
- Identify the target customer specifically (ICP, persona).
- Identify your differentiated value — what do you offer that the alternatives don't?
- Pick the frame of reference — the category in the customer's mind.
- Write a one-sentence positioning statement combining all four.
- Test the positioning across customer interviews; iterate.
When to use it
Use when
- At brand inception.
- When entering a new market or audience.
- When messaging across channels feels disconnected — positioning is usually the upstream problem.
Skip when
- For very early-stage products still finding product-market fit (positioning needs a stable product).
- For commodity products where positioning is genuinely irrelevant.
Key metrics
- Audience clarity (can the team articulate the ICP in one sentence?)
- Differentiation clarity (do prospects independently echo back the positioning?)
- Conversion rate from positioning-aligned campaigns
Examples
- Six rounds of positioning work shifted us from 'audit firm' to 'audit partner for fast-growing UAE SMEs' — close rates doubled.
- Positioning was so unclear that every team member described us differently to prospects. That's the tell.
- We tried to position against the Big Four; the real frame was against local boutique audit firms. Different fight entirely.
In practice at Makreate
Makreate brand engagements always start with a positioning sprint — typically 2 weeks of customer interviews, competitive analysis and stakeholder workshops, ending with a written positioning statement the whole team commits to. The downstream brand work — naming, identity, voice, messaging — gets dramatically faster after positioning is locked, because every design decision has a clear input.
Branding →Common mistakes
- Positioning against the wrong competitive set.
- Trying to position to multiple audiences with the same statement.
- Generic differentiators that any competitor could claim.
- Skipping customer validation — what management thinks the positioning should be often doesn't match how customers see it.
- Treating positioning as a one-time exercise — it needs periodic refresh as markets shift.
Frequently asked
What's the difference between positioning and brand?
Positioning is the strategic decision (who, against whom, on what). Brand is the entire expression of that positioning across every customer touchpoint.
How often should positioning be refreshed?
Major revisits every 2-4 years or when the market shifts substantially. Minor refinements continuously based on customer feedback.
Can a B2B SaaS have positioning like consumer brands do?
Yes — B2B SaaS often has stronger differentiation potential than consumer because the audience is narrower and the buying criteria more specific.