Read time: 5 mins

Time it took to write this: 12 hours

Marketing ROI Unlocked: +25%

Why Are You Here?

Welcome to Cyborg Marketer, your weekly guide to growing your brand with AI.

In today's issue:

• We're diving deep into the art of positioning diversification: In a sea of sameness, how can you make your brand truly stand out and connect with your audience on a profound level?

Ready to crack this concept? Let’s dive in.

Diversity is Your Golden Ticket

Feeling the heat to deliver mind-blowing results?

I get it. The pressure to skyrocket brand recognition and sales is no joke.

But here’s the truth: if you're not diversifying your positioning, you're setting yourself up for failure.

Period.

You're wondering how the hell to make your brand stand out.

But it's not about shouting louder than the competition. It's about saying something different.

Something that sticks.

This is where positioning diversification comes in. It’s your secret weapon for:

• Tapping into new audience segments you never knew existed

• Ditching the generic, snooze-fest messaging that puts people to sleep

• Injecting your brand with a shot of adrenaline that gets hearts racing

In today's cutthroat market, taking this approach is non-negotiable.

So what does this positioning diversity look like in action?

• Problem/Solution Framing: Zero in on your audience's biggest headaches and show them how your brand is the ultimate pain reliever. Prove your worth by solving real problems.

• Emotional Appeals: Forget the fluff. Craft stories that make your audience feel something real. Connect with them on a level that goes beyond just a transaction. Create an emotional bond that makes them think, "Damn, this brand gets me.”

• Unique Value Proposition: Cut the crap and tell it like it is. You're the best at what you do, and your audience needs to know it. Show them why choosing anyone else is a mistake they can't afford to make.

• Narrative Positioning: Be the storyteller your audience can't ignore. Create a narrative so compelling, they'll be begging for more. Make your brand the star of a story they'll want to be a part of.

• Engagement Positioning: Turn casual observers into die-hard fans. Give them personalized experiences and interactions that make them feel like your brand was made just for them.

• Value-based Positioning: Stand for something that matters. Align your brand with the causes your audience cares about. Show them you're not just another faceless corporation, but a force for positive change.

It's time to ditch the played-out tactics. Your audience sees right through them, and they're not buying it anymore.

You need to get bold, get creative, and show them what you're really made of.

AI Brainstorm

I know what you're thinking: "Easier said than done."

It's tempting to stick with the tried-and-true problem/solution shtick.

But guess what?

Your competitors are all following the same playbook.

If you want to stand out in the sea of sameness, you need to think differently.

Introducing the Agile Brand Positioning (ABP) Framework.

This powerhouse framework helps you diversify your brand's positioning by leveraging the different positioning strategies mentioned earlier.

You'll be able to carve out a unique space for your brand, connect with your audience on a whole new level, and…leave your competitors wondering what the hell just happened.

Like always, I’ve turned it into a prompt below.

Just input your details and then fire it up in GPT-4, Claude or Gemini.

#AUDIENCE
Brand owners and marketers looking to refine their brand positioning to stand out in a competitive market and connect more effectively with their customers.

#CONTEXT
The AUDIENCE you're assisting understands the importance of unique brand positioning but may not have a deep marketing background. They're looking for clear and practical advice that can be immediately implemented to improve their marketing efforts and elevate their overall brand presence. The desired outcome is a set of positioning strategies that are not only aligned with the brand's future vision but also resonate deeply with their target audience.

#ASSISTANT
Assume the role of a distinguished marketing strategist and innovative brand architect, whose expertise encompasses crafting compelling narratives, translating core values into distinct market positioning, and architecting growth strategies. With a profound understanding of consumer psychology and a balanced approach to creative and analytical thinking, your insights lead to tailored, precise, and actionable recommendations. You are adept at navigating complex market dynamics to develop positioning strategies that resonate with audiences and drive significant brand growth.

#TASK
Carefully guide the AUDIENCE through the process of identifying the most effective positioning strategies for their brand using the Agile Brand Positioning (ABP) framework and based on the provided BRAND INFORMATION. Each strategy should align with their brand's core values, target audience, and desired brand perception. Provide actionable insights and clear, concise recommendations for strategies that have the potential to yield high impact in terms of customer engagement and market differentiation.

#BRAND INFORMATION
- Brand Name: (Insert the name of your brand here)
- Core Brand Values: (List your brand's principles and ethos here)
- Target Audience: (Describe your primary audience's demographics and psychographics)
- Primary Brand/Product Challenge: (State the main challenge your brand/product aims to address)
- Unique Selling Proposition: (Your brand's unique differentiator in the market)
- Desired Brand Perception: (How you want your brand to be perceived in the future)
- Brand Goals/Objectives: (Primary goals you're aiming to achieve with your positioning)

#ABP FRAMEWORK:
1. **Core Insight Development**:
   - **Articulate Brand Values**: Summarize the core principles and ethos that your brand embodies.
   - **Understand Your Audience**: Define the key demographics, behaviors, and motivations of your target market.
2. **Strategic Positioning Exploration**:
   - **Problem/Solution Framing**: Identify the audience's challenges and present how your brand's offerings provide a solution.
   - **Emotional Appeals**: Develop messaging that emotionally engages the audience, utilizing elements of storytelling to create meaningful connections.
   - **Unique Value Proposition (UVP)**: Clarify what makes your brand unique, emphasizing the distinctive benefits and features of your offerings.
   - **Narrative Positioning**: Craft a brand story that aligns with your values and speaks to your audience's aspirations or experiences.
   - **Integrated Engagement**: Outline strategies for building a community around your brand, fostering interaction, and loyalty.
   - **Value-based Positioning**: Highlight the larger values or societal benefits that your brand supports, which resonate with your audience's beliefs.

#TEMPLATE
- **Problem/Solution Framing**: [Strategy Explanation] - How it aligns with the brand's values and addresses the audience's core needs.
- **Emotional Appeals**: [Strategy Explanation] - Ways to forge an emotional connection with the audience that reflects the brand's desired perception.
- **Unique Value Proposition (UVP)**: [Strategy Explanation] - Articulation of what sets the brand apart in terms that resonate with the target audience.
- **Narrative Positioning**: [Strategy Explanation] - Storytelling elements that can be woven into the brand narrative to enhance emotional engagement.
- **Integrated Engagement**: [Strategy Explanation] - Community and customer engagement tactics that align with the brand's values and positioning goals.

#FORMAT
Present five distinct positioning strategies, each with a brief explanation of how it can be leveraged by the brand based on the ABP framework. The strategies should be clear and actionable, laid out in a simple-to-understand format, devoid of industry jargon to ensure the AUDIENCE can easily grasp and apply them. Each strategy should be directly applicable to the BRAND INFORMATION provided, ensuring that the recommendations are specific and tailored to the brand's unique context and goals.

I’m working with a coffee brand right now, so I thought why don’t I stay in the same niche and see how a similar brand can differentiate itself in this challenging space.

Here’s a brief brand overview:

Core Values: Authentic connections, premium quality, and community building among coffee enthusiasts.

Target Audience: Adults aged 25-45, mostly urban professionals with disposable income. They value quality, authenticity, and unique artisanal experiences.

Challenge: Differentiating in a saturated market to establish a loyal customer base.

Unique Selling Proposition (USP): "Bean to Cup Freshness" with on-demand roasting and shipping, offering the freshest coffee and unique, single-origin blends.

Desired Perception: A premium brand for coffee connoisseurs that evokes warmth, exclusivity, and community.

Goals: Short-term, boost brand awareness by 30% in a year through marketing and social media. Long-term, cultivate a strong customer community and expand into coffee-related products and experiences.

I tried the prompt across all 3 LLMs but my favorite output was from Gemini.

What struck me was this part of it in particular:

I like the idea of using storytelling to position their product as more than just coffee. It’s a personalized journey.

I’ve seen other brands do something similar by enabling you to track your batch to the source. It will tell you about the region and the workers in a way that makes you feel involved and connected to something bigger.

View the whole output here.

Now for the second part of the prompt. We need to turn these strategies into a brand positioning plan.

This prompt was inspired by Ian Barnard from Creative Business Company and their Brand Investment Blueprint. It’s organised by identifying the problem, creating a brand narrative and then the different positioning pillars you can use in your marketing campaigns.

Here’s the prompt for it:

#ASSISTANT
Embody the role of an expert brand storyteller and strategist, lauded for your ability to distill complex marketing concepts into clear, engaging narratives that resonate on a personal level. With your profound understanding of branding and consumer behavior, you have the unique talent to unveil the heart of a brand's story and present it in an accessible, conversational style. Your strategic recommendations are actionable and practical, ready to be implemented in real-world scenarios, giving brand owners and marketers clear direction and confidence in their brand positioning journey. Your approach is friendly and direct, cutting through jargon to communicate the brand's value in everyday language that connects with the audience's daily experiences and aspirations.

#TASK
Transform the identified strategic approaches into a cohesive brand positioning plan, clearly articulating the brand's central problem and the value proposition within each performance pillar.

#STEPS
1. **Problem Identification**: Examine the strategic approaches to identify the central challenge that the brand or product aims to address. Present it as a general market issue, not a direct address to the customer.
2. **Narrative Creation**: Develop a brand narrative that connects with the audience by translating your strategic approaches into engaging, relatable stories.
3. **Pillars Articulation**: Construct the key pillars of the brand's value proposition, providing a thematic focus and outlining specific customer benefits.

#TEMPLATE
- **Problem Identification**: [Objective problem statement reflecting a market-wide issue]
- **Narrative**: [Simple, approachable brand story that encapsulates the brand's essence and strategic approaches]
- **Pillars (Performance)**:
  - [Pillar Name]: [Thematic Focus/Angle] - [Overall value proposition statement]
    - **Value Proposition 1**: [Specific customer benefit]
    - **Value Proposition 2**: [Specific customer benefit]
    - [Include additional value propositions as necessary]

#CONSTRAINTS
1. The narrative should be crafted in a simple, direct, and conversational style, avoiding marketing jargon and complex terminology. It should be easy for the average person to understand and relate to, using everyday language to communicate the brand's message. The tone should be friendly and approachable, inviting the reader into the brand's world with warmth and familiarity.
2. Pillar names should be intuitively connected to the brand's unique strategic approaches, rather than generic labels, to enhance the brand's distinct value proposition.
3. Ensure the problem statement is an objective declaration of the central issue affecting the target market, not personalized to the reader.
4. Craft each pillar's thematic focus as a clear angle that sets the stage for the detailed value propositions, avoiding generic or broad statements.
5. Specify within the value propositions how the brand's offering directly addresses the central market problem and the tangible benefits it provides to the customer.

#FORMAT
Deliver the brand positioning plan as a straightforward narrative that can be easily digested and acted upon by brand owners and marketers.

And here’s what I got for identifying the problem:

The brand narrative:

The pillars:

Why This Hits Home

This brand positioning plan has a few things going for it:

1. The narrative does a solid job of setting the scene and painting a vivid picture of the experience the brand aims to create. Waking up to freshly roasted beans, savoring unique flavors, connecting with the story behind each cup - it's evocative without being overly fluffy.

2. I like how the three pillars each have a clear thematic focus that ties back to the core narrative. "The Bean Voyage", "The Coffee Connoisseur's Club", "The Sustainable Cup" - these themes of freshness, community, and conscience provide a tidy framework to articulate the brand's value props.

3. Within each pillar, the specific value propositions are concrete and customer-centric. Stuff like "Explore the world through coffee," "Gain access to exclusive blends" "Enjoy ethically sourced coffee" - these clearly communicate real benefits someone would get from engaging with this brand.

Overall, this is a good start at translating the coffee brand's strategic vision into a cohesive positioning and messaging platform.

The core elements are there:

• An engaging origin story,

• Clear value pillars

• A sense of consumer benefit.

The next steps for this coffee brand would be to execute this plan to the best of their ability.

The Bottom Line

Let's not mince words: your positioning can make or break your brand.

If you settle for blending in with the rest of the pack, you might as well kiss those big, juicy growth goals goodbye.

But if you craft a multidimensional narrative that captures hearts and ignites action? The sky's the limit.

The challenge: Use the prompts and see how you can diversify your positioning for your brand. Implement the suggestions and see how it improves brand perception and drives sales.

Will it be a cakewalk?

Nope. Nothing worthwhile ever is.

But the alternative is being forgotten, ignored, and left in the dust. And that's just not an option.

You've got the skills, the guts, and the hunger to make this happen. So go out there and claim your positioning crown.

I'm in your corner, always.

— Gold

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