Using a Research-Grounded Approach in Positioning Workshops

This is part 4 of a series about better ways to use market research in the development of brand positioning. In part 1, I introduce the problem with traditional positioning testing, and in part 2 and part 3 I propose and detail a solution: a research-grounded approach.

In the last post, I explained how to use a research-grounded approach to inform brand positioning development. With this approach, strategists begin ideating on positioning strategies after aligning on a set of market truths with the brand stakeholders. This way, choosing a positioning strategy becomes a question of how to best thrive in market realities, rather than wordsmithing lofty, abstract sentences in focus groups.

So, how does the research-grounded approach play out in a positioning workshop, when the rubber meets the road, and brand stakeholders must choose a strategy for moving forward?

A Researcher Walks into A Positioning Workshop…

A typical positioning strategy workshop involves evaluation or co-creation of a few different positioning strategies. Sometimes these are presented as fully formed strategic documents, other times they may be presented as more conceptual “directions” or “territories”, represented by aspirational mood boards or sets of attributes. Once the options are presented, brand stakeholders must process the options, identify the benefits and drawbacks of each strategy, and finally come to a decision about how to move forward.

Much to the chagrin of all involved, internal politics and pet preferences can easily run amok at these workshops.

How can research keep brand stakeholders on track to choose a strategy that makes the most sense for current market realities and the brand’s future aspirations?

Here’s my answer:

Grounding. Grounding. Grounding.

First, any positioning workshop should start with a review of key findings from market research to set the stage for decision-making. This is where agency teams can present a replay of truths that brand stakeholders have aligned to previously, and remind everyone of critical findings to keep in mind throughout the workshop. Ideally, this could be summarized in <10 well-synthesized slides, covering leading market drivers, core brand equities, and critical audience characteristics. 

Next, any positioning strategy presented to brand stakeholders should be thoroughly annotated with references to data. This way, the conversation moves away from reacting to words, and instead becomes a discussion about interpretations of realities.

Let’s look back to our previous positioning example for healthcare Brand X:

 Target Audience: Highly motivated patients living with [Condition X] who are frustrated with their treatment experience

 Competitive Frame: [Brand X] is the advocate who will stand up for their needs

 Reasons to Believe: A holistic patient care program featuring digital health tools, health coaches, and personalized educational content

Here are some ways to weave research into the presentation of this positioning option. These data points could be introduced or referenced as slides, supplementary handouts, or simply voice over points.

Target Audience: Highly motivated patients living with [Condition X] who are frustrated with their treatment experience

• 75% of patients are disengaged and will choose the cheapest generic option in this treatment category

• However, our market segmentation identified a segment of highly motivated patients who are willing to pay a premium for a better treatment experience

• This segment represents 25% of our addressable market and potentially $300mm in revenue

 Competitive Frame: [Brand X] is the advocate who will stand up for their needs

• 80% of patients in this category feel dismissed and left behind. They feel like their HCPs aren’t listening to what they really need, which results in cynicism toward healthcare institutions (4 out of 5 believe HCPs don’t understand their needs). 85% of patients in this category are willing to trust healthcare brands when it comes to education about their condition.

• 60% of patients already know [Brand X]; of those, 95% view [Brand X] favorably, and 90% are willing to consider it for new products/services

 Reasons to Believe: A holistic patient care program featuring digital health tools, health coaches, and personalized educational content

• Leading drivers of consideration include: “care personalized to my individual needs” and “being treated as a whole person, not a set of lab results”

• 70% of target patients already use digital health tools, and 30% are interested in using them if a clear benefit can be shown

• 95% of target patients would work with a health coach if it was covered through their insurance plan

• 65% struggle to find educational content on their condition that is relevant to their needs

Essentially, each element of a positioning strategy should point a finger back to a data-grounded rationale. In this way, research builds a holistic argument for a positioning direction, setting up your stakeholders for a lively debate.

When “Testing” is Still Testing You

But what if you're in the midst of traditional positioning "testing" right now, and it's too late to use the full research-grounded approach?

Fret not, there are still ways to adjust “testing” to get you closer to outputs that will allow for clearer decision-making. Approaches I've recommended to clients in the past involve developing customer-facing stimuli that can be used to elicit reactions to positioning concepts. However, extensive care needs to be taken with how the stimuli is crafted and presented to customers. Be wary of solving your positioning woes through yet another monadic concept test.

Don’t Stop Now

The need for strategic research doesn’t end after the brand team adopts a strategy. In fact, post-positioning is the right time to really dig into out how to bring the strategy to life.

In the post-positioning phase, teams can under-take co-creative customer research exploring how to most clearly activate the positioning across communications, product/service features, new offerings, branded experiences, and more. You'll also want to consider message research, to ensure that new communications assets not only appeal to customers, but adequately convey the intended positioning strategy.

Final Thoughts 

As an outcomes-oriented researcher/data-driven strategist, I firmly believe research should be a tool for inspiration and creation—not gatekeeping and rejection.

I hope this article series has inspired new ideas about how research can support truly great strategy.

If you found this helpful, or if you'd like to continue the conversation about your own brand or research team, let's connect!