Positioning: What It IS and IS NOT

In the business world, positioning is a concept often misunderstood, oversimplified, or confused with other marketing or strategic elements.

Positioning isn’t a model we invent; it’s a force we align with. Just as Newton didn’t create gravity but identified how it works, positioning is an inherent dynamic in business that operates whether we understand it or not.

Al Ries, one of the pioneers of positioning, framed it best: “Positioning is not what you do to a product. It’s what you do to the mind of the prospect.” At its core, positioning determines the space a brand occupies in people’s minds, acting as the gravitational center of a company’s strategy, culture, and perception.

Whether you understand it or not, the force of positioning shapes how people perceive your brand. The question is: are you aligned with it, or are you working against it?

Positioning is the atomic core of business success, shaping how customers perceive a brand and determining whether it thrives or falters.

Today, we’re going to explore why positioning isn’t a model you create. Rather, it’s a force you observe and align with. By the end of this, you’ll know exactly how to harness it to make your brand indispensable.

What Positioning IS

1. Positioning Is Mental Territory

Positioning is not about products, categories, or even features. It’s about owning a resonant concept in people’s minds.

For example, Tesla doesn’t just make electric cars; it owns “the future of transportation.” Volvo doesn’t sell cars with safety features; it owns “safety” itself.

This mental territory reflects how human minds simplify complexity and assign meaning, creating associations that drive decision-making.

2. Positioning Is Strategic

Positioning is not a tagline, campaign, or tactical exercise. It’s a strategic foundation that guides every aspect of a business, from product development and operations to marketing and customer experience.

Frameworks like Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) or value propositions are tactical tools that rely on a clear, overarching positioning strategy to function effectively.

3. Positioning Is Identity

Your position defines what your business fundamentally is — not just what it does or aspires to do. It’s the North Star guiding all decisions, ensuring consistency across touchpoints.

Patagonia’s position as an environmental advocate is reflected in its sustainable practices, activism, and transparent operations. It’s not just a marketing claim; it’s their DNA.

4. Positioning Is Authentic

Positioning only works when it’s backed by actions. Words may introduce a position, but actions prove it.

Red Bull owns “human performance” by sponsoring extreme sports, hosting high-energy events, and pushing the limits of possibility (e.g., Felix Baumgartner’s space jump).

5. Positioning Is a Leadership Decision

Positioning shapes the long-term direction of a company and, therefore, belongs to the C-suite — not the marketing department. It’s the CEO or founder’s responsibility to define the position and ensure alignment across the organization.

6. Positioning Is About Focus

Strong positioning requires saying no to opportunities that don’t align with your core concept. Businesses often fail because they attempt to be everything to everyone, diluting their impact.

Takeaway: The human mind rewards simplicity. A singular, focused position will resonate far more than a scattered, multipronged approach.

7. Positioning Is Universal

Positioning principles remain the same in B2B or B2C markets because humans (driven by identity, emotion, and resonance) make decisions in both contexts.

Now that we’ve established what positioning truly is, let’s dive deeper into why being the only one matters more than being better.


From “Better” to “Only”

Why true positioning means being the obvious choice

One of the most pervasive misconceptions about positioning is the belief that being “better” is enough. But markets don’t reward being incrementally better. They reward being the only. Positioning is about creating a unique mental territory where your brand becomes the default choice, not one of many competitors.


Why “Better” Isn’t Enough

Comparison dilutes clarity
When you position yourself as “better,” you invite comparisons. Customers are left weighing features, benefits, and costs against competitors. This complexity slows decision-making and undermines loyalty.

Example: If a consumer is choosing between toothpaste brands and you claim “whiter teeth,” you’re competing on a spectrum. However, if you position yourself as the toothpaste for sensitive teeth, you eliminate ambiguity. You’re the only choice for a specific problem.

Being better is temporary
Competitors can replicate your features or exceed your claims. “Better” is a moving target, subject to market shifts and technological advancements.

Example: Nokia once dominated mobile phones by being better in functionality. However, without a unique position, it couldn’t fend off competitors like Apple, which positioned the iPhone as “the smartphone” itself.

Why “Only” Wins

The strongest brands don’t compete. They define. They create categories, own them, and make competitors irrelevant. Being the “only” eliminates alternatives in the customer’s mind.

Mental shortcut for decision-making
Human minds simplify complexity by assigning a singular association to a category. When your brand is the only solution, customers bypass comparison altogether.

Example: Red Bull doesn’t compete with “energy drinks.” It owns “human performance,” making it the go-to choice for those seeking energy boosts and extreme achievement.

Emotional anchoring
Customers form stronger connections with brands that feel irreplaceable. Being the “only” elevates your brand from a product to a symbol of identity, trust, and aspiration.

Example: Harley-Davidson isn’t the fastest or most technically advanced motorcycle. But it owns freedom and rebellion, making it an irreplaceable choice for its tribe.

Pricing power and loyalty
When you’re the “only,” pricing becomes secondary. Customers pay a premium because they perceive the value as unique and unmatched.

Example: Tesla charges a premium not because it’s better than other electric vehicles but because it owns “the future of transportation.”

How to Transition from “Better” to “Only”

Find your mental territory
What is the singular, resonant concept you can own? This isn’t about being marginally better but about solving a unique problem or meeting a deep need.

Exercise: Write down all the problems your product solves. Which of these problems is underserved, misunderstood, or untapped in the market?

Eliminate comparisons
Position yourself outside the competitive fray. If competitors are focused on features, shift to identity or aspiration.

Example: Airbnb didn’t compete with hotels on amenities; it created a new category by owning “belonging anywhere.”

Consistency is key
Repetition and alignment across your business are essential to reinforcing your position. Your messaging, product design, and customer experience must all communicate the same “only” message.

Example: Apple doesn’t just say it’s about simplicity and innovation. Every product, ad, and store reinforces this position.

Key Questions to Assess If You’re the “Only”
  • Can customers describe your brand in one clear sentence?
  • If your brand disappeared tomorrow, what would your customers lose that no one else can replace?
  • Does your position go beyond product features and tap into identity, aspiration, or transformation?

The Litmus Test: Are You the Obvious Choice?

Being the “only” doesn’t happen overnight. It requires clarity, consistency, and strategic alignment across your entire organization. When you achieve it, you move beyond comparison and competition to become the default, irreplaceable choice in your category.


What Positioning IS NOT

1. Positioning Is NOT a Niche or Product Feature

Positioning transcends the specifics of what you sell. It’s about the larger concept your business represents.

Google is not just a search engine; it is search itself. Its competitors struggle because they fail to claim a comparable concept in users’ minds.

2. Positioning Is NOT Awareness

Awareness ensures people know you exist. Positioning ensures they can’t ignore you. It’s not enough to be known; you must own a unique mental category.

3. Positioning Is NOT Ambition or Evolution

Your roadmap, product expansions, or vision for the future are not your position. Positioning is the space you own in people’s minds today.

Your product roadmap might evolve, but your position must remain consistent to retain mental ownership.

4. Positioning Is NOT a Marketing Tactic

Positioning is a business strategy, not a slogan, ad campaign, or set of keywords. These are outputs of positioning but not its essence.

Apple’s ads work because they reinforce its “simplicity and innovation” position, not because the ads define that position.

5. Positioning Is NOT Immediate

Shifting or building a position takes time. Minds resist change, much like convincing people the sky isn’t blue. Establishing mental ownership requires consistency, clarity, and patience.


Common Misconceptions About Positioning

Misconception 1: “We Can Position Multiple Things at Once.”

Reality: Minds simplify. Attempting to own multiple positions dilutes clarity and confuses customers.

Misconception 2: “Positioning Isn’t Measurable.”

Reality: Outcomes like loyalty, pricing power, and category dominance reflect the strength of a position.

Misconception 3: “Positioning Is Only for Big Brands.”

Reality: For startups and small businesses, positioning is a survival strategy. It helps them stand out and become indispensable.


Why Positioning Matters

1. It Dictates Market Perception

Your position determines how your audience categorizes and values you. Without clear positioning, the market will decide for you — often incorrectly.

2. It Impacts Pricing Power

When you own a unique concept, customers focus on value over cost. Apple customers don’t compare prices; they buy into the brand’s positioning of innovation and simplicity.

3. It Guides Decision-Making

A clear position acts as a filter for business decisions, ensuring alignment across product development, hiring, culture, and marketing.


The Litmus Test for Positioning

To test your positioning, ask:

  1. Does it meet a deep human need?
  2. Can it guide every business decision?
  3. Is it simple enough to express in one sentence?
  4. If you removed your brand name, would the position still be recognizable?

Positioning as a Force

Positioning isn’t just an idea. It’s a universal law, a force as constant and unyielding as gravity. Whether we align with it or not, positioning shapes customer perceptions and defines market outcomes. The businesses that succeed are those that understand and embrace this force, aligning every action, decision, and message with their core position.

Your position isn’t your ambition, your roadmap, or your features. It’s the singular truth you own in the minds of your customers. It’s your gravitational pull, drawing people toward you, ensuring you’re not just a choice. They see you as the only choice.

The question isn’t, “What do we want people to know about us?” It’s, “What concept do we already own in their minds?”

When you align with the force of positioning, the rest, pricing, loyalty, and differentiation, fall into place naturally. Everything flows from your position. So ask yourself:

  • Are you clear about the territory you own today?
  • Are you building with the force of positioning, or are you fighting against it?
  • Are you ready to align your strategy, identity, and actions with a singular truth that resonates deeply?

Because, in the end, the brands that thrive don’t just sell.
They own.

And they don’t compete.
They define.


JOIN SQUAD—A WEEKLY DISPATCH

Every Tuesday, you can expect simple, actionable, and practical advice on business, brand, design and strategy tailored for business leaders. Written by Paul Syng.
* = required field

Posted

in

by

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply