Branding is a complex process that requires you to go through several phases of defining how you want to present yourself on the market.

Your brand is your presentation to potential target customers, partners, and even your competitors, who are fighting you for the same piece of the market.

This is why you have to make all the pieces of your branding strategy fit together. That includes writing a winning brand positioning statement.

If you’re not sure what a brand positioning statement is, why you need it, or how to write it - we’ve got you covered.

The guide below breaks down all the information you need to understand the value of a professionally written brand positioning statement and the 5 essential steps to do it.

  • Brand Positioning Statement: Definition & Impact 🧐
  • What To Avoid When Creating A Brand Positioning Statement 💁🏾
  • Best BPS Examples 🗒
  • 5 Essential Steps For Writing A Brand Positioning Statement 👏🏼
  • Conclusion 👇🏽
  • Important disclosure: we're proud affiliates of some tools mentioned in this guide. If you click an affiliate link and subsequently make a purchase, we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (you pay nothing extra).

    Here’s what you need to know 💁🏻‍♀️

    Brand Positioning Statement: Definition & Impact 🧐

    Before we dig any deeper into the process of writing a great brand positioning statement, it would be best to define it and try and understand it better.

    First, to write your brand positioning statement you need to have an in-depth understanding of the actual positioning of your business as a whole within the industry.

    To understand your positioning, you need to look at six elements:

    1. Target market
    2. Market category
    3. Customer friction and pain points
    4. Brand promise
    5. Brand values
    6. Brand identity

    Once you have uncovered these six core elements you will be well on your way to writing your brand positioning statement.

    But what is a brand positioning statement? 🤷‍♀️

    By definition, a brand positioning statement (BPS) is:

    • A brief overview of what your brand stands for, what products and services you offer, to whom, and on which market.

    This is a brief definition that summarizes the main idea behind a brand positioning statement. We could elaborate on it and say that it also covers:

    • What makes a brand, product, or service offering unique
    • What target market needs it satisfies
    • The vision behind the brand

    As you can see, your brand positioning statement is there to help you present your brand as something unique on the market and show that it offers something no one else from your competitors has.

    But, what makes it so crucial for a brand? What impact does it have on the brand’s overall success?

    A professionally written brand positioning statement is vital for a brand because it impacts all the other significant points in their business strategy and contributes to their business success.

    A brand positioning strategy helps your advertising campaigns, and your promotional approaches (if you have any), but mainly it helps you with your marketing strategy by aligning all marketing efforts within the internal team.

    Here’s what a brilliant brand positioning statement helps you do:

    Show What You Strive To Become

    Your brand positioning statement is not just written to reflect the current state your brand's in. It's also there to show the values and goals you strive to achieve in the future.

    A brand needs to show a tendency for improvement, growth and becoming better for their target customers.

    Inspire Customer Loyalty

    You want your customers to trust your brand and become loyal members of your brand's family. This is impossible without giving them something to hold on to.

    The brand positioning statement you write should also serve as a promise to your customers - something you commit to delivering.

    This way, you'll show brand credibility, and positively influence current and potential customers.

    Increasing brand credibility hopefully also increases customer loyalty and customer satisfaction levels.

    Stand Out From The Rest

    You want to be able to separate your brand from your biggest competitors.

    Showing you’re unique and offer something specific will give you a competitive advantage and further motivate people to choose you over another similar brand.

    But be careful not to confuse branding with marketing.

    That means that a brand positioning statement can impact buyers purchasing decisions and help you improve your sales.

    As you can see, the impact of a strong brand positioning statement can be highly beneficial if you know how to use it to your advantage.

    What To Avoid When Creating A Brand Positioning Statement 💁🏾

    Writing a convincing and compelling brand positioning statement is far from an easy task.

    Marketers and business owners often make a lot of mistakes that can cost them their business success.

    Luckily, we’ll make sure you don’t make those same mistakes.

    Here’s what you have to avoid when writing a brand positioning statement to make sure it’s 100% unique, successful, and memorable.

    1. Confusing It With Brand Mission Statement Or Value Proposition👀

    The first mistake you need to avoid is confusing a brand positioning statement with the brand mission or vision statement.

    These are entirely different things, although they should go hand in hand in your marketing strategy.

    However, a mission and a vision express what the future brand should look like and what are the social, moral, or business principles the business respects.

    To put the differences simply for you a mission statement answers the question of "why" a business exists and the positioning statement answers the question of "what" the business does.

    A value proposition also describes what the business does but it focuses more on how your business and its products or services differ from what the competitors offer and how it adds increased value comparatively.

    2. Focusing On Selling Rather Than Helping 🙅🏽

    Your target audience doesn't want to feel like just another customer you're trying to sell your products or services to.

    On the contrary, they want to feel respected and understood.

    This is why your brand positioning statement needs to address their actual pain points and show how it can help them improve their life quality or solve their problems.

    It needs to speak their language and be designed for evoking real people’s emotions.

    Make it more personal than advertising to boost its positive impact.

    3. Not Including Specific Information 🖌

    You can't allow your target audience to assume anything. There's no room for assumptions.

    You need to make things clear and ensure they understand exactly what they are in for if they invest in buying your products or services.

    Therefore, include specific and precise information that explains who you are and what you do without any ambiguities.

    4. Being Overly Enthusiastic 👋🏼

    You don't want your brand positioning statement to sound like a fairy tale or a cheap detergent commercial.

    Being overly enthusiastic and aspirational will do your brand no good.

    Instead, focus on real people, realistic goals, and honest promises.

    This will show you're not just another brand trying to sell, but a brand that cares for its consumers and works on meeting their needs.

    Avoid making these common mistakes to make sure your brand positioning statement is meaningful and shows the true value of your brand.

    Best BPS Examples 🗒

    This all sounds a bit confusing in theory, so we'll take a look at the current brand's brand positioning statements that are the perfect example of what we just covered.

    Most of these examples follow a specific statement formula. The statement formula template roughly goes as follows:

    👉 For (target audience) who want (the needs being met), we (business name), offer (value add over competitors) because (mention what the business does that fulfills the value add) 👈

    You will see that the brand positioning statements below have taken this statement formula and made it their own so that it fits into their brand ideals.

    Here are some of the most professionally written and most effective positioning statements that we love:

    Nike

    “For serious athletes, Nike gives confidence that provides the perfect shoe for every sport.”

    This is an amazing brand positioning statement because in one sentence it describes who (serious athletes), what (Nike), why (gives confidence), and how (by providing the perfect shoe).

    This is probably the most concise statement you will see.

    With the amazing quality of advertisements and marketing campaigns that Nike puts out we aren't surprised that their brand position statement is just as impressive.

    Image Source: Business Insider

    Walt Disney

    “For the young and young-at-heart, Walt Disney World is the theme park that best delivers on an immersive and magical experience because Walt Disney World, and only Walt Disney World, connects you to the characters and worlds you most desire.”

    With this example, we would like to point out how convincing their differentiation statement is. Using the word "only" puts their brand into the exclusive and unrepeatable category.

    Pepsi

    “Pepsi is for people who want great tasting soda, and it offers a unique cola flavor that is great for all different types of occasions. Pepsi stands out by being a youthful, forward-thinking company that has been around for many years.”

    Pepsi is one of those beloved brands that has been around for what feels like a lifetime. However, they make sure to still classify themselves in their brand statement as a company that is keeping up with the trends and staying young in their thinking.

    Apple

    “For individuals who want the best personal computer or mobile device, Apple leads the technology industry with the most innovative products. Apple emphasizes technological research and advancement and takes an innovative approach to business best practices — it considers the impact our products and processes have on its customers and the planet.”

    Why wouldn't you want the best of the best? Apple knows you do which is why they allude to themselves being the best twice within their brand positioning statement.

    It also shows their business ideals by including that they care about the planet too, an aspect which not many major brands focus on. These ideals they then make clear on their website too.

    Dubai Emirates

    “To frequent business travelers seeking to fly experience with high comfort and convenience, Emirates is the perfect luxurious airline because it provides non-stop flights, quality service, and modern entertainment system.”

    There are thousands of airlines out there, so how can you differentiate yours from the rest. Calling it luxurious as Emirates does is a good start. Not only does the word luxurious set Emirates apart but it also sets anyone that flies Emirates apart.

    They then push this superiority and luxuriousness in all of their advertising campaigns.

    Amazon

    “For consumers who want to purchase a wide range of products online with quick delivery, Amazon provides a one-stop online shopping site. Amazon sets itself apart from other online retailers with its customer obsession, passion for innovation, and commitment to operational excellence.”

    Amazon is setting itself apart from any other retail bookseller by stressing its comprehensive selection of books and other products.

    Calling themselves a one-stop-shop is denoting to the customers that they offer extraordinary convenience and that they need look no further.

    Their logo ties in nicely with their brand positioning statement. Customer obsession = customer satisfaction = a happy customer = a smile.

    Image source: Wikipedia

    Coca-Cola

    “For individuals looking for high-quality beverages, Coca-Cola offers a wide range of the most refreshing options — each creates a positive experience for customers when they enjoy a Coca-Cola brand drink. Unlike other beverage options, Coca-Cola products inspire happiness and make a positive difference in customers' lives, and the brand is intensely focused on the needs of consumers and customers.”

    Here Coca-Cola is indicating their value add over their competitors and putting their actual benefit (being a thirst-quenching drink) after the importance of creating an emotional response within your target consumers.

    In the advertisement below you see them pushing what their brand statement outlines. Drinking Coca-Cola makes you happy.

    Slack

    “Slack is the collaboration hub that brings the right people, information, and tools together to get work done. From Fortune 100 companies to corner markets, millions of people around the world use Slack to connect their teams, unify their systems, and drive their business forward.”

    Here Slack is indicating how its system is flexible and can fit two very different target markets but still offer them the exact same benefit - connectivity.

    These brand positioning statement examples show the importance, impact, and true value of having an effective positioning strategy and of sending a clear message to your target audience.

    5 Essential Steps For Writing A Brand Positioning Statement 👏🏼

    Now that we’ve got all the preparation steps behind us, it’s time to discuss the writing methods for creating your brand positioning statement.

    Small and medium-sized companies generally choose one specific product characteristic and build their brand statement around it.

    We believe the simplistic approach can be gradually improved by following a list of 5 essential steps to help you write it like a true professional.

    Let’s break down the steps you need to take.

    1. Understand The History Of Your Industry 👏🏼

    The industry your brand’s in has been there years before your brand even saw the light of day. And, this is something you need to acknowledge and use when creat.

    Understanding the history of your industry means understanding:

    • Why it appeared in the first place
    • What it meant for consumers before
    • How it changed over time
    • What it means to them today

    Understanding all this will help you better understand your position in the market and how your brand contributes to what the industry is all about.

    You need to be aware that you're a part of a much bigger picture and use this when writing your brand positioning statement.

    2. Define Your Target Audience 👩🏻‍🦰 👨🏾‍🦱

    It should go without saying that your brand positioning statement should be speaking directly to your target audience.

    But, if you don't have a clear idea of who they are, you can't expect your brand positioning statement to work.

    This is why you should choose your niche and define your target market carefully and use that definition to write a better brand positioning statement.

    Here’s what you need to specify:

    • Demographics (age, sex, education, social status, background, etc.)
    • Location
    • Pain points and problems they’re facing
    • Online habits and behavior
    • Shopping habits
    • Content preferences

    The more you know about your audience, the better you can understand what they expect from you as a brand and what you can offer them.

    Therefore, use all the research, data, studies, and calculations to determine exactly how your audience thinks in order to create accurate buyer personas.

    If your target audience is segmented, you’ll still find things that all those groups have in common and use them in your statement.

    This will help you make sure all members of your target audience, regardless of the group they’re in, understand and value your brand positioning statement.

    3. Choose The Right Adjectives 💯

    The language and vocabulary you choose to craft your brand positioning statement can make a world of difference for your target audience.

    Using just one word that’s off can make your entire statement feel weak, fake, or dishonest.

    You also don't want to sound overly poetic, dramatic, or to praise your brand unrealistically. Simply put, you have to choose your words carefully.

    The one place where you want to be especially careful is choosing your adjectives. Adjectives can easily throw you off and lead you to make a mistake.

    Here's what to avoid when selecting your adjectives:

    • Clichés such as passionate, enthusiastic, dynamic, and bold
    • Over-praising by using words like, brilliant, outstanding, unique, and exceptional
    • Vague or empty adjectives like superior, excelling, and reliable

    Adjectives such as these can be heard so often that they’ve lost their initial meaning.

    Instead of using these and similar ones, try adjectives with a specific purpose and carry a strong message.

    Here are the adjectives we’ve found in the brand positioning statements of the brands we’ve covered above:

    • Young and young-at-heart
    • Innovative
    • Luxurious
    • Great tasting
    • Forward-thinking
    These adjectives help the brands send a clear message and make the brand positioning statement more believable and relatable.

    So, think twice before you choose an adjective for your brand positioning statement, and be sure to think about the true meaning of the words you carefully select to include.

    4. Research How Others Perceive You 🕵🏽‍♂️

    When you're positioning yourself on the market, you can't only consider what you want to say and how you want others to see you.

    You also need to investigate what beliefs or emotions people already associate closely with your brand.

    That means that you have to research how others perceive you.

    You can use various methods to gather this information:

    Researching how others perceive you will help you to define your current brand position and see if it needs to be changed or improved in any way.

    You’ll then decide what specific message can strengthen these beliefs or change them, if necessary.

    Explore how others think and feel about your brand and use it to improve your brand positioning statement.

    5. Clarify & Proofread 📝

    Once you’ve applied all the steps we’ve covered above, it’s time for the final revision of your work.

    You want to make sure you got the brand positioning statement just right, and it’s the best possible message you can send to prospective customers or consumers.

    There are two stages of this process:

    • Clarification
    • Proofreading

    Let’s discuss each one.

    👉 Clarification is a stage that makes sure your message is clear and easy to understand. If it’s too complex, vague, or unclear, you’ll fail to impress.

    Keep it concise.

    This is why you need to ask yourself these questions:

    • Is there any more straightforward way of saying this?
    • Are there any redundant words I could simply get rid of?
    • Can people of all ages and education levels understand what I’m saying?

    Answering these questions will help you rewrite and change your brand positioning statement until it's perfectly fit for your audience and your brand image.

    Don't skip this step since it'll make a massive difference in the impression you're making.

    👉 Proofreading is the final touch.

    You need to be sure there’s nothing wrong with your brand positioning statement.

    You should leave this stage to someone else- a professional or a colleague you trust. Often a different pair of eyes pick up on mistakes that you have just glanced over.

    This is also to avoid being biased or confused by trying to judge the words you’ve written.

    Proofread to ensure:

    • There are no typos or spelling mistakes
    • There are no grammar mistakes
    • The sentence structure is just right

    As a professional brand, you shouldn’t offer anything less than perfection.

    Proofread and edit if necessary to finalize your brand positioning statement and ensure it shows you're reliable and impeccable in every aspect.

    Perhaps you aren't as proficient in English as you wish you were. No need to fear, tools like Grammarly, Readable, and Linguix are here to do the job for you.

    Conclusion 👇🏽

    Writing a brand positioning statement requires you first to understand what it is and why it's essential.

    You need to research your competitors, target customer, and market to know what to aim for.

    Finally, you have to see the writing tricks that will ensure your brand positioning statement is compelling and memorable.

    Hopefully, the guide we’ve shared above will help you nail all aspects of writing a brand positioning statement.

    Use our tips and guiding points to create and write a brand positioning statement that sets your brand apart from your biggest competitors and gives you the advantage you need.