Brand positioning is one of Phemelo Segoe‘s passions. She is an entrepreneur, wellness coach and founder of MillTribe, which is short for Millennial Tribe. The company specializes in brand development and corporate identity.
Chatting with startup experts at WeTalk, Segoe discussed brand positioning basics.
“The simplest way to explain brand positioning is what someone thinks or feels when your brand comes to mind,” she said. “It is not always consciously created by the brand itself.”
Making the magic happen is the result of tapping into invaluable tools.
“First is brand attitude,” Segoe said. “How does the brand communicate? What’s the tone when engaging with its audience? What language does it use? Think about Nando’s. The international restaurant chain’s brand is cheeky and fun in my mind.
“Then there is the brand experience,” she said. “If I go to Nando’s and I’m treated poorly, that shifts the brand’s positioning in my mind. It’s not to say I’ll never go back, but my view is impacted. That is why your team is so significant.”
According to Segoe, said brand positioning is the combination of the brand itself — the look and feel of the brand — the brand’s voice and the team.
The most successful brands position themselves to carve out a viable market niche.
“Seth Godin speaks about his very well in ‘Startup School,’ where he speaks of identifying your tribe,” Segoe said. “A tribe are people who will definitely buy what you’re selling because you made it specifically for them.
“Before a brand can think positioning itself, it must answer the question, what value will it deliver better than anyone else and to whom will it matter the most?” she said.
Brand differentiation relies on several entrepreneurial tools.
“Good design and clear communication go a very long way in defining your brand,” Segoe said. “I built MillTribe without a website or other traditional forms of brand assets. Design and messaging can really carry your brand straight to your consumer.”
Positioning a brand for success includes an essential, obvious ingredient.
“Put people first,” Segoe said. “I cannot stress this enough. Brands must serve their consumers and not the other way around.
“This line of thinking must be prevalent in their strategy,” she said. “This is how you build a healthy brand.”
