Mal's Musings: The positioners need new positioning
*Why marketers need to rethink what they do before worrying about what they say*
By on Sep 27, 2010Why marketers need to rethink what they do before worrying about what they say
Very few things have had as big an impact on marketing as the assertion that Perception is reality because people believe it.
The core of this statement is that what people think is as important, if not more important, than reality.
When there is a gap between perception and reality, perception wins.
Jack Trout presented this idea to the business world in his book Positioning.
Since perception is reality, organizations need to concern themselves with building and delivering value but they also need to consider how they wish to be perceived in comparison to other offers on the market.
Pharmaceutical marketers over the last few decades have deployed this principle effectively to ensure that they maximize ROI for their brands.
But if we take a step back and consider the position of marketers themselves, its clear that the positioners need new positioning.
When the going gets tough, marketing gets cut
Marketing has a flawed position in the market.
It is perceived as a cost rather than an investment, so at the first sign of financial pressure its budget is cut.
The repetition of this budget cutting acts as a reinforcement of the perception itself.
The accountants in the finance department are qualified professionals, but the majority of their counterparts in marketing are not professionals.
The business world sees marketers as a luxury you have in good times, a sign of prosperity.
However, when the going gets tough, marketing gets cut as executives focus on cost reduction.
Marketers are perceived as big time Charlies who enjoy meeting agencies and going on endless trips.
In truth, the position of marketing in the marketplace is poor.
The question is, How did the ultimate positioners allow themselves to be so badly positioned?
What we do versus what we say
Marketers broke the golden rule.
Perception may be reality because people believe it, but there is a link between perception and reality, albeit not a perfect correlation.
There has to be a link between deliverables and message; the deliverables either reinforce the perception or change it.
What we actually do is still the most important piece.
Those who miss this point will not enjoy long-term success.
Perception is tested and verified in every interaction, and we either add to it positively or negatively.
There are two parts to positioning: The first is the message; the second is what we actually do.
In the long run, if what we do does not match what we say, the market will find a more suitable position.
Emotional connection with end users can only be built on a rational basis.
Those who think positioning is an exercise in spin are ultimately the ones who will be left spinning.
Positioning is a strategy to maximize what you have, not a trick that turns water into wine.
The road back to reality for marketing needs to start with a fundamental rethink of what we do, before we worry about what we say.
Otherwise, marketing resources and heads will continue to be exchanged for health economists and medics.