Do you know what the most common and sure-fire way for your brand to get drowned in the competition is?
That’s by trying to copy the design style and elements of the top brands in your industry.
You would think that what works for them would be the same for you too. The reality is that you’re doing more harm than good for your brand.
The impression you’re leaving is your services and products are low-quality copycats.
Here’s a simple process you can do to help you decide on what design direction to take and help you stand out in the market through brand positioning.
Step 1: Preparation
- List down your top competitors.
- Save their logo designs
- Write two main factors that separate the brands in your industry. Be as specific as possible.
- Examples are price, quality, personality, demographic targets, design directions, etc.
Step 2: X and Y Grid
- Create a coordinate plane with X and Y-axis
- Place the two chosen factors on the two axis
- Have the opposing qualities on each end
- For example on the x-axis, economical on one end and luxury on the other.
- On the y-axis, we have modern and traditional on the opposite side.
Step 3: Positioning
- Place each of your competitor’s logo designs on their perceived positions on the coordinate plane
- You can start by deciding where they should be on the X-axis, then move it towards their Y-axis next. Have your brand claim the space not occupied by the competitors yet.
- This simple exercise can make it easier for you to visualize how you can position your brand to stand out in the market and make it easier for the ideal audience to remember you.
Fill the gap in the market to stand out. Make yourself unique by establishing yourself as different from the beginning.
You can also use this as a design direction for your branding and marketing materials.