Summary Of Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind

Central Theme:
In Positioning: The Battle for your Mind, the authors Al Ries and Jack Trout develop on the idea of communication. In marketing, communication is the key factor to advertise the product or brand to the consumer base, and the effectiveness of that communication will determined whether or not the message has been heard by the prospective consumers. The authors approach idea of communication with the goal of establishing the image or identity of a product so that consumers perceive it a certain way. This is what is known as positioning. By being able to reach their target consumers and retain their products or brand into their mind in an effective and positive way, consumers are more likely to be loyal to the brand and continue
With the abundance of advertisements we are presented with, the most effective ones tend to be the simplified ones. Ries and Trout highlight the fact that by simplifying advertisements, people are more likely to retain the information and recognize the product because they are easier to remember. In addition, it is essential to present information that the customers can recognize to further develop and understand the information being presented. The central theme that constantly comes up through the authors’ detailed advice is to stay customer oriented. In marketing, it is important to position the products and brand to the customers, not through the product itself, but through the wants and needs of the customers. In chapter 21, titled “Six Steps to Success,” the authors ask six questions that businesses must ask themselves and follow to become successful: “What position do you own? What position do you want to own? Whom must you outgun? Do you have enough money? Can you stick it out? Do you match your position?” The development of these six questions is were meant to trigger your mind and help you get a better understanding of where you are and where you want to go with your business (Ries & Trout, 1986, pg. 300). In addition, the guide that Ries and Trout has provided can be applied both products and
With today’s over-communicated society, the only way a business can connect itself to the consumer base is to efficiently position their products and brand in their minds. This is called the battle for your mind because all businesses are fighting to occupy the limited space in an individual’s mind. One very effective way businesses can do this is to be the first. By being the first, they establish a sense of leadership and dominance, therefore making it difficult for competitors to fit in the picture. Marketing campaigns should also simplify their messages. Short, simple and concise messages are far more effective than bulky chunks of text because they are easier to remember. By doing so, individuals are more likely to remember the information an advertisement is trying to relay, whether they have been bombarded with advertisements or not. All in all, the authors provides numerous ways and strategies for businesses to engage in positioning their product and brand. These strategies are applicable to most businesses and precisely explain which position a company could possibly be in at the moment. By using the guide in this book, a company will surely be able to fight through the heavily saturated society we live in, position their product in the minds of their targeted consumers, and become successful in the