A Positioning Statement helps differentiate your brand from other describes how it can be positioned competitively in your market.
Positioning Statement
“Our brand is the only….
(what: name of business category)
that….
(how: point of differentiation)
for….
(who: audience segment)
in….
(where: marketing geography)
who….
(why: audience need state)
during….
(when: underlying trend).”
Written out, your positioning statement will look something like this:
“Our website is the only (what: name of business category) that (how: point of differentiation) for (who: audience segment) in (where: marketing geography) who (why: audience need state) during (when: underlying trend).”
A Vision Statement describes the perfect world as realized with the help of your brand. Using your Positioning Statement for context, answer the following questions to help form the basis of your vision:
Vision Statement
1. What in the world needs to be changed by our brand?
2. Why should these issues be addressed by our brand?
3. What are the strengths and assets of our brand that can contribute to resolving these issues?
4. What is the dream end-state when our work is done?
5. What would success look like for our brand and our audience?
Your Brand Values are actionable statements that help drive the success of your brand for your audience. It’s the framework through which you get things done. It’s best to keep your Brand Values simple and memorable: general enough to relate to all the work your business or organization does, but specific enough that they carry meaning and help guide your business. Here are a few main categories you Brand Values could play a role in impacting:
Brand Values
1. Social
Is your brand more interested in serving individuals or the community?
2. Ecological
Is your brand concerned with its environmental impact?
3. Technological
Is your brand about making the world better / more convenient using technology?
4. Convenience
Is your brand about making an activity, resource or service easier for your audience?
5. Economical
Is your brand about helping individuals or businesses succeed financially?
Write out three to five actionable statements that will help drive the success of your brand for its audience.
While a Vision Statement describes the idealized vision for your brand, a Mission Statement describes what your brand does in order to make your vision come true through the framework of your values. Guided by your Vision Statement and Brand Values, answer the following questions to help form the basis of your mission:
Mission Statement
1. What are the opportunities/needs we exist to address?
2. What are we doing to address these needs?
3. What principles or beliefs guide the work?
Brand Goals
What are the general goals of the brand (ie: raise brand awareness, gain brand loyalty, etc.)?
Business Goals
What are the business goals (ie: increase followers by X amount, sell % more product, etc.)?
Audience Goals
What problem are we trying to solve for the audience and how can it be quantified?
The BIG IDEA
In marketing, “The Big Idea” is a differentiating creative idea that can help communicate your brand in an effective way that resonates with your audiences. It often comes in the form of a strong message that can be used consistently as a foundation for marketing creative.
A good exercise for developing the Big Idea for your brand is to discover key insights about your brand, your category (industry or business category) and audience. Once you discover the key insight for each of these three areas, your ideal Big Idea will be somewhere in a middle. An idea that only appeals to one of these key brand pillars won’t have the strength or endurance to last in the competitive market.
If you are ready to take the next step in developing your brand, or would like further information and support, please contact Prolex Media and we will be happy to help you with a free consultation.
