Pitch Perfect: How to Build a Brand Positioning Statement to Uncover the Best Media Strategy for Your Clients
by Beth Kimmerling
PR people often consider themselves storytellers. Here at LPR, we consider it part of our DNA.
And while we often celebrate and share the wins – like a feature in The New York Times, a segment on The Today Show, or a campaign reveal in Fortune Well – we rarely talk about all of the work that goes into setting ourselves up for that success. I’d love to say we are simply an agency made up of creative geniuses, and though that may be true, we are also made up of incredibly dedicated team members that truly understand their clients – as well as their industries, competitors and how the media is talking about the space.
Whether it’s a formal document you are creating for your team and/or client, or just a deep dive to ensure you are up to speed on the state of your client, there are three areas of research to focus on:
- Client audit
Consider the website(s), social channels, and recent media coverage. Track what messages are coming through, how it all aligns to work together, what gaps you can identify, how it’s evolving, what you know is coming next, and what you might need to tell those stories. - Competitor audit
Do the same research for every competitor. Expand beyond direct competitors to consider what other products are in that aisle, or competing for funding or consumer dollars. - Media audit
You’ve already uncovered a lot of media coverage, but now look at the industry, the space, the target audiences and see what stories media are telling, and what is resonating with them or driving their interest.
Now you have a spreadsheet, document, or PPT overflowing with your research. The most important part of the process is how you translate it into something meaningful. By comparing all that information, you can build a brand positioning statement, which can help you identify the differentiators that will make your client stand out, opportunities where your client can share expertise and weigh in on current conversations, white space to uncover new stories to be told, and the tools, data, assets, and spokespeople you need to tell them.
When building out your brand positioning, consider everything you uncovered to determine your client’s:
- Target Audience – Who is the primary target, and what specific characteristics or demographics make them ideal? Are competitors also targeting this exact audience? Zero in on why this is the target for your client and how that focus differentiates them from the competition.
- Market Definition – What category or industry is the client focusing on, and what role are they serving within it? How does their service or product compare and stand out against the competition? What are they solving for?
- Brand Promise – What is the most compelling benefit that your client can offer this target audience vs. its competitors?
- Reasons to Believe – What is the most compelling evidence, proof points, success, etc. that your client delivers on its promise? While there may be a lot – consider what stands out against the competition
This brand positioning can now serve as a lens for your PR strategy and outreach – creating stories that only your client can tell, and connecting them to the right media with the right assets and information to tell them.