Determining how to position a new product or brand in the minds of consumers is a crucial task for any company. Effective positioning can boost brand awareness, drive sales, and build long-term customer loyalty. Achieving this requires balancing recognizability with novelty while reflecting desired values and highlighting unique selling points. This is the essence of defining positioning.
The same principle applies to personal branding. Just as people have perceptions about brands or products, they have perceptions about who you are.
We are not the same for everyone, nor are we equally significant to all. However, every impression we leave with others contributes to their perception of us.
Branding and innovation teams work diligently to shape the positioning of their products. Similarly, you must take charge of your positioning within your areas of interest. What image do you hold in the minds of your boss, colleagues, clients, investors, students, or even family and friends? Your positioning is an integral part of your personal brand.
The Positioning Pyramid: A Tool for Personal Branding
The Positioning Pyramid is a practical tool I’ve used in product and brand design, and today I’m sharing how you can apply it to your professional life.
THE THREE VERTICES OF THE PYRAMID
1. Where Do I Compete?
This pyramid vertex refers to the category in which you want to compete or play a role. For products and services, this means defining a category such as beverages, baby food, or banking. For an individual, this could be your profession—lawyer, engineer, teacher, etc.
Today, the lines between categories are blurring, leading to niche markets and specializations. When defining your category, consider carving out a niche that highlights your unique strengths or describe it by the ‘Job To Be Done’ you fulfill. Instead of simply identifying as a “coach,” consider “helping people improve relationships,” which opens new possibilities beyond conventional coaching.
If you’re drawn to creating a new category like “dream collector” or “prompt engineer for ChatGPT,” be prepared to educate your target audience about what this means. I experienced this firsthand when I embraced my identity as an innovation catalyst—a term few used a decade ago.
2. Parity: What's the "Minimum to Compete"?
Once you’ve defined your category, determine the basic knowledge and skills required to compete successfully. For instance, if your category is “Infrastructure Project Management,” you should at least have a sound grasp of project management principles.
This step helps you understand your competitive landscape and the skill requirements in your market, laying the groundwork for further differentiation.
3. What Makes Me Unique?
This vertex is your chance to showcase value creation! Define the traits that will make you memorable and preferred in your field. What skills, knowledge, or attitudes do you want others to associate with you?
Think about what you’d like people to say and think about you. What would prompt them to choose or recommend you first? Sometimes, cross-disciplinary skills can enhance your uniqueness, even if they seem unrelated to your profession.
Each trait you claim should have a “reason to believe.” For example, “Facilitator of world-class innovation workshops” sounds impressive, but without clear justification of what makes you world-class, it’s merely an empty statement.
Are you ready to create your positioning pyramid?
This exercise can be a rewarding exploration, as it allows for discovering various possibilities and perspectives that feel authentic and relatable.
Consider using feedback and personal timelines to identify your unique selling points further. For more on this, see my post on LinkedIn
I hope these insights offer you inspiration and guidance. I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on the innovation journey.
