Marketing Question on company positioning?

Question

What is a perceptual positioning (map) and what could it accomplish for a company?

Answer 1

There are whole books about this, and I can't answer it all here. Please read this about positioning:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positioning_%28marketing%29

A map is a diagram that shows the various competing products or companies and how people measure them on certain key axis. Let's say that you are comparing Ford and Honda cars on a map that measures people's perceptions of value and style. You plot the cars on the map. Maybe people see the Thunderbird as sytlish, but not a good value. Maybe they see the Civic as pretty dull on the style but a great value. Whatever. Its a way to understand how people see you versus the competition.

Positioning and maps help a company compete for business by understanding how consumers see them.

Answer 2

positioning for a company is important whether it is perceived or real. Positioning is how a company's customer base / prospect base see them among all of the companies selling

Some examples of positions:
- Most reliable
- Low price leader
- Highest quality provider

It's critical that a company understand where they are positioned. The reliability leader should never try to act like the low price leader. The low cost leader may not want to act like the low price leader.