Product Positioning Map | Strategic Planning | Jump start 2011
Many visitors have downloaded this form and I am thrilled that others find it useful. Feedback from your target audience is a crucial element when planning and implementing a holistic marketing strategy for your company. I prefer to provide a visually compelling/customized form when gathering information for clients. This exercise is simple to conduct and will provide actionable insights. You can download the generic form below from www.marketingholistics.com. It’s also a snap for me to provide a custom designed positioning template (PDF format). You can specify two value variables and four product variables.
In fact, I’ll design your custom template at no charge between now and January 31, 2011.
Visit the Marketing Holistics website to download the generic PDF or shoot me a fast e-mail and I’ll customize it for your use.
The Johari Model of self-awareness | Holistic Marketing
SELF AWARENESS means knowing about one’s idealized self in terms of aspirations as well as a sense of your presence at present. A component of self-awareness is knowing how one is perceived by others. 
The Johari Model is a graphic model developed in the 1950′s which aids in the interpretation of self-awareness. This exercises involves psychological communication and the diagram is fairly self-explanatory.
What’s involved:
- Apply a list of words to yourself.
- Have others apply the same list to you.
- Note the similarities
- Note the differences.
- Act on the insights
Do I have the courage to take a test in my blog? My personality is warm, upbeat, artistic, curious and engaging. I am interested in the arts particularly photography and design. I also like the politics of the Civil Rights Movement. I prefer to be generous but have tamed down that impulse over the years. I am happily married to a smart, kind, successful gentleman. We have two dogs and no children. I know “team dynamics” are a crucial business skill to develop. I am interested in marketing and working with small entrepreneurial businesses permits me the latitude to leverage my core communication skills.
I am also obsessed with learning new skills and improving existing ones. Right now I am reading four books:
- Web Analytics 2.o new by Avinash Kaushik [he was an author@Google - and donates the proceedes from his two book to charity]
- The Art of SEO by Enge Spencer, Fishkin and Stricchiola [fuzzy logic and semantic intent]
- Eyetracking Web Usability by Nielsen & Pernice [heat maps & gaze plots]
- Search Engine Optimization for Dummies by Clay & Esparza [anyone can do a redirect]
and have at least eight more piled on my night table.
The need to learn traces back to my childhood because my parents rewarded me for being a good student. Their praise and approval motivated me to constantly strive for “very good grades.” Now I learn for the pure sake of love of learning. Coworkers think that I have a high energy level and am focused and determined. Sometimes I am a tad impatient but always find time to help others. The good news is that it is never too late to improve and learn new things. My husband thinks that I am focused, motivated and smart but he also thinks that I sometimes allow myself to get a bit sidetracked by unimportant details and people with difficult personalities. He is 100% correct. I consider myself extremely responsive.
Shifting gears and seeing connections: Carl Jung identified four psychological archetypes: thinking, feeling, sensing and intuition. Understanding how other people relate has always helped me to create compelling visual communication. SWOT analysis, a classical marketing exercise involves determining an organizations internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats. Holisitic Marketing also has four components: Relationship marketing, integrated marketing, internal marketing, & performance marketing. A Product Positioning Map also has four quadrants:At this point I am wondering why the above tests, models, models and maps all have four components and if there is something about the underlying structure of four components that becomes visually and literally compelling?
Creating Customer Value | the Holistic Marketing Framework
Crafting a unique value proposition for target markets provides strategic direction for implementation of the marketing plan. Consider the strategic and tactical components of an effective marketing plan: exploring, creating and delivering value must be considered and properly maintained and managed.
Effectively identifying and leveraging a core competency can provide a tremendous competitive advantage. Brand value is increased when customers cannot obtain the same benefits from a competitor. Your product/service offering must be distinct, excellent and profitable. A vigilant organization will constantly monitor the entire environment. Noticing and acting on weak signals will enhance your competitive advantage. Learn from the past, evaluate the present and envision the future. Is it important to consistently measure brand image and customer satisfaction while gathering and evaluating ideas for new products, and improved services.
Delighting customers is important. This statement may sound a bit corny but it still rings true. Consider a few examples of great holistic marketing:
- Recently my husband and I tried a new Spanish Restaurant in Norwalk, CT. Everything was delicious. We skipped dessert but the waiter brought a complimentary mini desert plate. We will go back for Valentine’s Day.
- Olay Regenerist, a skin care regimen, claims to get noticeable results at a fraction of the price of luxury brands. Olay introduce new products and include samples for other products. I noticed a difference and saved money at the same time and have a chance to try new products.
- I visited a customer to take a series of Pro Pet Photos. Her young daughter was interested in the process and started to ham it up for the camera. I took some extra photos, made a web gallery and brought her mom a set of complimentary custom note cards. Her expression of pride was very gratifying. The daughter sent me an email with about 25 exclamation points after the phrase…”I love my pictures…”
- The nice lady at the Starbucks inside the Yale Bookstore always looks very happy to hand over your beverage.
- L.L. Bean gladly accepted a return on fleece activewear-no questions asked.
- B & H Photo Video tech guys are experts in their field…and they do not oversell.
For every example of excellence, we can also provide many examples of poor products, uncaring/unfriendly service, hassles with returns, misleading/ over zealous/too frequent email campaigns, etc. We want to forget and avoid these unfortunate experiences!
I consider Google a company that is excellent on many levels and the essence of an exemplary holisitc marketer. Just “google” Google’s mission statment. Then “yahoo” Google’s mission statement. Then “google” Yahoo’s mission statement. Then “yahoo” Yahoo’s mission statement. The results speak for themselves. A mission statement must be clear and memorable, almost but not quite unattainable. We’ll explore mission statements within the context of holistic marketing next time.
Google gets holistic marketing | everything matters when users matter
Perhaps Google’s has created a new paradigm for holistic marketing. Google’s positioning process is brilliant and seemingly effortless. I recently presented an analysis of the paradox of Google’s Marketing Strategy to a group of MBA students at Southern CT State University In New Haven, Connecticut. Market penetration of this target market was over 97% with 100% approval within the 97%.
Google, an entrepreneurial giant reinvests a relatively small percentage (less than 10% of the billions of $$$ generated from AdWords and AdSense ) into organizational sales and marketing. Even Yahoo uses Google AdWords as part of their promotional strategy. Why is this significant? Google products/services obviously work. Google has created an excellent image or identity for its products, brand, and organization.
Positioning is a mental process, which results from a market strategy – the examination of Google’s unique value proposition will illuminate the value customers derive from the use of Google products and service. Google positions Google as “the closest thing to an ultimate answer machine.” Consider the current mission statement at www.Google.com/corporate.
Sergey Brin and Larry Page submitted a more modest unique value proposition in their original scholarly paper, The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine. This early, original paper presents the prototype, features, process, anatomy and conclusions upon which the organization was built. Profit was not an original objective.
Google definitely “flew by the seat of their pants” at the beginning of their organization’s exponential growth. Because positioning is the aggregate market perception of a particular company, product or service in relation to their perceptions of the competitors in the same category, the process for Google occurs regardless of a marketing strategy. However, through enlightened strategic actions, Google has proactively influenced their target market’s perception of the value of the Google brand. Initially, though, Google’s positioning process evolved as result of their innovative market penetration not as a result of a strategic initiative.
Google is funded by the needs of mature capital economy to market, position and differentiate similar products and services. Google’s pro active market dominance is supported by an effective, efficient, and economical “non-traditional” marketing strategy which has strong holistic roots. “Everything matters when users matter!”
Why must you trust your “seo|sem-guy?”
Putting humor aside…there is a purpose to this exercise. Please pick one answer below:
a) this one has a very “long tail” with a great sense of scent
b) a great seo | sem guy is hard to find…Madagascar is just too far
c) a picture is worth a thousand words but spiders can’t read images and actions speak louder than words
d) environmental adaptation is a crucial internet marketing skill
To be honest, this little guy has alot of built in features that also are must haves for your seo | sem guy. It’s important and possibly difficult to make the best decision. Definitely take the time to contact references because a satisfied customer is a great resource.
Holistic Marketing – Everything Matters
Recently, when discussing “marketing” with colleagues and clients, the word “holistic “ automatically becomes part of the conversation. Holistic marketing sounds like an important phrase to me when thrown around the dialogue table. It has been said that 80% of communication is non-verbal. For the moment, let’s accept this premise.
Now, let’s focus on “face to face” communication. You know…the non-verbal kind. What happens when the topic of holistic marketing comes up? Maybe, we think of holistic and all things good, green, and natural like oatmeal, aloe, soy, peppermint, and similar organics. Maybe not…but, I still see lots of blinking with rapid eye movements which actually mean thinking to summon primary and secondary word catalogs. Then, maybe some deft pen pickups followed by decisive notes on pads. Perhaps, a sudden glimmer of recognition.
All this extra thinking will ultimately lead to more questions:
1. What are the new marketing realities and do they make selling superfluous?
2. What is a good definition of the holistic marketing concept? Where is a good place to find information about this hot topic?
3. Where is a good place to find information about this hot topic?
Powerful forces have radically transformed the modern exchange economy. Information technology, globalization, deregulation, privatization, heightened competition, industry convergence, consumer resistance, retail transformation, and disintermediation – when combined – are probably strong enough to topple a pyramid. Effective marketing has a proactive orientation that replaces the hard or even the soft sell.
Marketing functions should follow a logical process: recognizing needs, satisfying wants, and meeting demands while consistently delivering on a unique value proposition. “Everything matters” with the holistic marketing concept which is based on planning and implementing marketing programs, processes, and activities with breadth and interdependence.
You’ve read this far – I know you can you give me at least one good example of holistic marketing in action.
Just so we’re in sync – the four components of holistic marketing are:
1. Relationship marketing - builds mutually satisfying long-term relationships – think CRM (customer relationship management & PRM (partner relationship management).
2. Integrated marketing - satisfies needs and surpass expectations.
3. Internal marketing - all teams work together and think customer.
4. Performance marketing - is financially accountable and social responsible.
All this holistic marketing stuff is very interesting particularly for an integrated/internet marketing firm. I went an extra meter and made an original illustration. You’re welcome to use the diagram anytime – you know the deal.
Holistic Marketing Diagram
When developing and implementing a comprehensive internet marketing strategy for our clients, Marketing Holistics LLC always considers strategic components from multiple viewpoints, focusing on broad and granular perspectives.
Stay tuned – we’ll give you many good examples of holistic marketing in action!
Barbara Reiner
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