Positioning. Brand Strategy. Demand Generation.

Most founders choose the wrong one to solve their revenue issues.

It's understandable. Most marketers don't even know the difference between those three and mistakenly use those terms interchangeably.

But they are three very different, albeit interdependent, functions that solve very different problems.

Which one does your business need right now?

Let's break it down.

The Psychology Behind Positioning, Branding, and Demand Gen

Choosing the right function for your business starts by answering a single question:

Do you have a clear and compelling differentiator?

Statements like "we care," "industry-leading," "best quality," or "reliable partner" are not differentiators.

They are basic expectations customers have when they give you money.

Think about it. What business searches for a vendor who hates them? Or one with the worst quality? Or one that is unreliable?

No one.

All of those statements are expected, but not reasons to choose you over the competition.

Your differentiator is a mix of:

• What you do exceptionally well
• What your customers want or need
• What your competitors can't or won't do

Find a differentiator that sits at the intersection of all three. You'll give customers a compelling reason to buy that way.

So, back to our question.

Do you have a clear and compelling differentiator?

That's the first question. And everything else flows from it.

Demand Generation Strategy

A Demand Generation strategy is a holistic, data-driven marketing framework that builds long-term brand awareness, educates prospective buyers, and generates sustained interest across the entire customer journey.

In other words: It makes it easier for more people to find and choose you.

Here's what it may include for you:

• Create better content
• Create lead magnets your ICP wants
• Launch a podcast that interviews your ICP
• Create a system to show up everywhere your ICP is

Demand generation only makes sense when:

• You have a clear and compelling differentiator
• That differentiator is felt through every interaction
• Your messaging and personality point to that differentiator
• You have product-market fit for your offer

Dangers of implementing demand generation too early:

If you don't have those elements in place already, increasing demand for your services will be disastrous:

• Confuse the market on why they should choose you
• Put more eyes on a product or service the market doesn't understand
• Look and sound like every other option on the market

Businesses that push demand generation before they have a positioning or brand strategy in place waste a lot of money on tactics that won't generate revenue for them.

Brand Strategy

A brand strategy is a long-term plan that defines who a company is, what it stands for, and how the public perceives it.

An effective brand strategy includes:

• Refreshed identity (design & personality)
• Better pitch decks and sales systems
• Restructured sales process
• Tone of voice
• Personality

A brand strategy only makes sense when:

• You have a clear and compelling differentiator
• You have messaging that resonates with your customers
• You have product-market fit for your offer

Dangers of implementing a brand strategy too early:

If you don't have those elements in place already, creating a brand strategy for your business will be disastrous:

• Unique look and feel without the substance to back it up
• Bold claims that your offer doesn't actually back up
• Prospects will like your look, but not understand why they should buy from you

A brand strategy matters only after you have the foundation it can point to. No differentiator = a nice look, but no reason to buy from you.

Positioning Strategy

A positioning strategy is the deliberate choice by a company to perform a different set of activities than its rivals to deliver a unique mix of value.

In other words: it's about uncovering and owning a unique place in the minds of your ideal customers.

An effective positioning strategy includes:

• Clear and compelling differentiator
• Offer stack that is easy to buy
• Messaging to communicate your value
• Experience to make that differentiator felt in every interaction

This is the starting point for every business.

If you don't have a positioning strategy in place, you are not ready for a brand or demand generation strategy.

Because both brand and demand gen strategies amplify your foundation.

• The unique value you bring to the market
• For whom
• How

If that foundation isn't in place, your efforts will amplify what's missing — and make it hard for customers to choose you.

Know Where to Start

Understand which function makes sense for your business.

Otherwise, you might engage an agency that pushes their solution, even if it's not the right solution for your business.

This simple checklist will help:

Do you have a clear and compelling differentiator:

☑️ No: Create a Positioning Strategy

☑️ Yes - and it's felt in every interaction: Demand Generation Strategy

☑️ Yes - but it's not felt in every interaction: Brand Strategy

We do all three (positioning, brand, and demand gen strategies) at Shft, and only take on clients ready to work on their positioning.

Because that's the foundation. And if it's not in place, nothing else will work.

Ready to work on your positioning?

Check out the Brand OS Plus. It combines a positioning strategy, brand strategy, and ongoing demand gen strategy into one operating system.

All so you stand out and become the ONLY choice.

Until next week,

#SassyJason out.

✌🏼