How Indian Business Plan Brand Positioning Strategy

Last Updated on January 2, 2023 by DesignerPeople

When you visit super-market and surf around the store, then you enter in the personal care department you look at brand Dove their soaps on shelves. The first thing which inspires you to pick that soap into your trolley is because you believe in real beauty.

You have that perception about the brand in your mind that they represent themselves as “natural beauty” products hence that motivates you to purchase that soap over other competitors.

Same is done by many other successful companies which have created their unique value proposition in the minds of customers so strongly that we don’t need to show the actual product to understand their values. Just by reading the word open happiness, we know people are discussion about Coca-Cola in the room without even participating in the conversation.

Looking at present economic conditions and increasing competition, new start-ups need to plan the positioning statement, which is quite sensitive and is doing good as well.

Established brands need to restructure their positioning by being more empathic and focusing on helping instead of selling because the year 2020 is all about caring and sharing instead of sole revenue.

What is Brand Positioning or Brain Positioning?

It is a process of occupying space in the minds of the customer and stay there. The company should provide a unique feature which should be the reason for customers to opt you over the competition. It is a continuous process with ensuring the advantages and differentials offered need to be relevant to the target audience.

INDIAN BUSINESS BRAND POSITIONING STRATEGY 

When we talk about positioning what those things which will make our positioning secure check out below points are:

1.Emotional Connection with your Audience

Positioning is majorly about emotions and less about facts, statistics making their emotional. Identify the benefit which connects emotionally and try to capture that into your position in a brief statement.

Take ample time to discuss, brainstorm and then facilitate this process of crafting statement because once your strategies are plan as per this, then you will have to bare a lot of loss to reach back again where you were.

2.Identify what is special in your product

Your service or product should have unique and different benefits which should cater to pain points of the target group. Competition is huge in the market and to cope up with it, one has to provide better if not best than the competitors to gain competitive advantage.

People will always bring those products home, which they feel are extraordinary or very rare compared to other products in the market.

3.Ensure all your brand guidelines are aligned with the positioning 

Whatever you plan as your brand positioning statement make sure you maintain consistency with all identities such as logo, tagline, website, marketing collaterals, digital media campaigns

If you see famous brands, they will never deviate their plans and structure from basic positioning statements.

4.Develop brand value 

The monetary value of your products or services may be easy to calculate. But your audience perceptions will determine the value of your brand and products have in the marketplace.

Brand equity act as the perceptions of customers have for your services or products is based on what they think of your brand. Apple, Google and Microsoft are all considered to have high brand equity.

HOW CAN YOU ACHIEVE BRAND POSITIONING

A proper Brand positioning will help customers to relate with the brand values, vision, mission and story help them to connect with it on a deep level which is beyond buyer and seller relationship.

1.Quality based 

One unique and distinct way to differentiate your products amongst the competition would be to narrow the focus point to a particular area of expertise and use that as a branding strategy in terms of quality positioning.

People always strive to gain quality-oriented products. Decide one element in which you will provide the best quality and ensure that your competition does not cater element.

Example: Blackberry mobiles which are used by few but seen as one of the best quality phones when it comes to security.

2.Price 

As quality is a vital role in the product success price is an equally important factor which determines the enormity of success. There are expensive products where a brand position as distinct and niche, they appeal to a segment of the audience who can afford to purchase.

While some are significant bulk order chunk of customers who are not able to buy those excellent products or services.

Example: When we hear garment is designed by Mr Manish Malhotra then we know that the pricing is going to be high this is brand positioning as per pricing.

3.Product 

Here the focus is majorly given on benefits of products to a specific target market and audience. Focus groups and market research can determine which audience to target based on favourable responses to the product.

There are various types of product positioning such as based on comparative, segmentation and differentiation these strategies will ensure brands help their products stand out by providing to focus on targeting target audience with the correct brand message.

Example: When we think of TATA products then it is positioned as reliable, trustworthy and honesty.

4.Brand leader based

There are few brands which have opted for this route to declare themselves as a market leader. Where their brand to be the best and unique in the market companies starts with this positioning, but as competition increases, they fall out. Hence here, the strategy needs to be revamped and revised as per the need and changes.

Examples of long-term leadership-base positioning are done by the platform of Facebook, where the segment of social media is unique in terms of the services and has the highest number of users associated with it.

How Indian Branding Agency Strategies your Brand Positioning

1.Analyze and identify your brand values

Revisit your brand mission, vision, culture and try to understand what is that you are providing unique about your brand to the audience.

Your existing brand positioning gives you valuable insight into where to go next. You’ll need to understand your current position to further analyse your competition.

2.Keep track of the competition

What your competitor is providing?

Why does audience prefer him over you?

What are his marketing strategies?

It is imperative to consider competitor analysis through market research, existing and new customers feedbacks, quora and social media reviews and ratings this will help you to mould your positioning.

3.Research 

Conduct SWOT analysis of your competitors tries to understand why they are doing better or what are they up to. What is their existing positioning is and what changes they are doing as per the latest trends and changes?

4.Identify your brand USP

Discover what is your value proposition which is catering customers pain point and yes also distinct than your competitors.

As per the SWOT analysis of competition you should start doing yours also then you will identify if their weakness is your strength, then you have a long way to go. It can be quality, source, price, aroma anything, which is the most reliable feature of your product or service.

5.Craft brand positioning statement

“A one- or two-sentence declaration that will communicate your brand’s unique value with target customers in relation with your competitors”.

Ensure while creating your positioning statement, keep the following tips in mind: Keep it brief.

Make it unique and memorable

Be true to your business’ core values

Include a credible promise of what the brand delivers to consumers

Communicate about your business is different from the competition.

The Positioning Statement definition is comprised of 4 parts; the target, the category, the differentiator, and the payoff.

SOME INDIAN BRAND POSITIONING EXAMPLES:

1.DABUR

Dabur is a brand who is well established in the cosmetics and food industry. They have built their brand positioning as an Indian company whose products are derived from natural and exotic sources such as ancient ayurvedic and natural ingredients such as herbs.

The brand tried to bring to its consumers with their Ayurvedic legacy with a modern and contemporary feel. Hence such changes improved the financial performance of the company. The company works on branded house architecture because it is having a lot of products with their own identity such as oral care, medicines etc.

Dabur always says stay connected to your roots while motivates for progressing India and make sure that their products are having Indian touch with comptempary looks and feel to approach modern India.

2.SBI

SBI was always known to be the traditional bank which did not upgrade its processes along with the technology. Still, due to stiff competition and customer’s needs, they have to change their complete brand identity. It has designed its positioning as a modern and progressive bank which is ready to satisfy the needs of tech-savvy Indians and as people most trusted bank.

The position there brand as the technology savvy to cater to all those businessmen, industrialist and a common man whom the time is the most precious thing in the world.

It has high accessibility with over 25,000 branches; it finds relevance to young customers with its value-added services like net banking, telebanking etc.

3.MAGGI

Nestles product Maggi is the most famous brand in the snack category among all age groups. It has gone through various positioning statements from the time it is introduced initially it said “hygienic homemade snack” then as convenience food but these dint work so finally they repositioned as quick snack “2-minutes Maggi”.

Along with the punch line, they position their brand in consumer mind is ‘Fast to cook! Good to eat!’ and their nostalgic campaigns this gave the implied understanding to the consumer that it was a ‘between meals’ snack.

4.AXIS BANK

Axis is the third-largest private sector bank in India. Their vision to be preferred financial solutions provider who excel in customer delivery through insight, smart use of technology and empowered employees.

Their brand positioning statement is all about being customer-centric, service-oriented and product innovation.

 5.HONDA

Honda positions its product as such its competition such as Toyota, GM, Ford etc. as a “value of money” vehicles which render high engineering quality, reliable performance and better fuel efficiency at competitive rates.

Honda tries to leverage on its robust features in engine quality and performance and quality and back up such capabilities with good design holistically the package that appeals to customers who look for quality and beautiful cars which will offer right “Value for money”.

Over the years, Honda has positioned itself as a Japanese manufacturer with an Indian heart where the cars are very competitive for fuel efficiency, engine quality, and longer-term performance.

6.AIRTEL

Being the number one brand with the most extensive consumer base and most comprehensive market presence, it has been continuously rebranding and repositioning itself. Airtel has very well emotional connect with its customers where they communicate with them very creatively. It has continuously changed itself to suit the different requirements of its customers and adapting itself to the changing environment from positioning to youth audience by “harr eke friend zarore hota hai to India largest network

A new positioning in its advertising and brand communications with the market evolving from voice-driven offerings to data-led services, brand Airtel is extending its positioning to become the “most preferred” network for smartphone users.

7.Amazon India

Amazon has positioned itself as a “one-stop online shopping site” where people can purchase a variety of products sitting at home online. Amazon is an excellent example for its distinct values such as a passion for innovation, customer satisfaction and dedicated operational excellence. Explain “Apne Dukaan” Campaign

8.PATANJALI

The brand slogan of Patanjali is “Prakriti ka Aashirwaad” which means Blessings of Nature. Patanjali is positioned as “Natural Products available at affordable prices”. The 2nd positioning plank is that of “Swadeshi Make” (Made in India).

Marketing Strategy of Patanjali uses product-based and value-based positioning strategies to establish a sense of trust and satisfaction of customers.

Instilling the people’s feelings of Nationalism and Genuity of products is the USP of their made in Bharat products where the word Bharat connects emotionally to customers as it enriches the sense of belonging feeling.

Example: Made in Bharat position Patanjali as Indian Ayurvedic company “swadeshi”.

9.HALDIRAMS

Haldiram is one of the most famous brands in India for its sweets, snacks and Namkeens, and it covers a wide range of mouth-watering frozen foods also. Their positioning is to build the consumers inclination towards traditional Indian meals; It also offers unique packaging types which provides increased shelf life of products.

Their quality of food and their restaurants always communicates as a family place where people can spend their quality time with family.

Conclusion 

To actively position your brand in the market and the minds of customers, you need to stand for something distinct. Then you are indeed on your way to owning your very own position and gain competitive advantage.

A brand makes all the difference when entering or competing in any market. A unique brand positioning strategy is essential to creating a statement, your target audience’s attention, and successfully growing your brand

DesignerPeople is an expert branding agency who can craft your brand positioning statement as distinct and help you communicate that strategically. It’ is the time to begin marketing your brand and developing a consistent brand message across all platforms. And if you want to learn more about starting a business and building your brand connect us.

Author: Megha Malik

As a passionate entrepreneur and creative brand consultant with experience of 14 years in digital, branding and packaging industry, it is my honest effort to put my experiences and knowledge of industry towards readers. A chartered accountant by degree but a marketing personality in blood has motivated her to take in designing industry as a career. With her fun-loving personality and sharp branding skills, she is a great motivational speaker on her YouTube channel, an active member in various business channels offline as well as online. Do connect me personally via my LinkedIn and I love to share my expertise with you.