Research Services
Positioning
Because commercial performance is always optimized by effective positioning, questions to inform positioning decisions are now being raised in the earliest phases of product development in order to influence the "DNA" of product design. An automobile destined for a strong "safety" positioning will need to reflect this direction in its engineering and manufacture. Even pharmaceutical products - constrained though they are by "discovery" and regulation - are often guided through the clinical trials process by a set of expectations or aspirations about positioning. Identifying the product positioning capable of creating the most leverage in the marketplace is a critical component of success.
We routinely advocate a three-step research process to address key aspects of the positioning challenge:
Opportunity Assessment
Our product positioning process starts with an opportunity assessment, exploring customer aspirations and identifying the positionings that are most compelling (i.e., that will resonate most strongly with potential buyers, or segments of buyers) and mapping the degree to which these various positionings are already "owned" by competing products. This is a particularly important step when introducing a new product into an existing portfolio to ensure the positionings of different products complement, rather than cannibalize one another. This type of opportunity assessment can be purely qualitative, but often involves a quantitative survey component to thoroughly size and map available positioning opportunities left by needs not currently filled.Positioning "Fit" and Credibility
A second critical step in the process is to determine whether a candidate positioning legitimately fits the product, and can be credibly delivered by the marketer. In cases where the product is "discovered" rather than engineered, there may be fewer degrees of positioning freedom, and the focus may shift quickly to message development. Our research process helps marketers explore the suitability of candidate positionings (or repositionings) and chart a course that accurately reflects the relevant "permissions" and constraints that exist in the marketplace.Messaging and Communications Strategy
Once a positioning is selected, successful implementation requires tailored messaging and communications strategies that effectively highlight the most salient aspects of the positioning. Qualitative communications research helps clients identify the messaging content and "proof points" that most clearly and creatively convey the product positioning to prospective buyers. Survey techniques are also used to determine which messages, or combinations of messages, will have the greatest efficacy and reach the broadest audience, and to guide selection of the most cost-effective communications channels.
- Brand Strategy
- Demand Forecasting
- Market Surveillance
- Segmentation
- Product Development
- Pricing
- Positioning
- Customer Insight
For more information on National Analysts Worldwide, please e-mail us or call (215) 496-6800.