Positioning process in marketing: steps and stages

Abstract

One of the main purposes of marketing is to provide the organization, its products or its brands, with a privileged position not only in the market but also in the minds of their target segment. Nevertheless, there is not a systematic process for achieving it. Therefore, the objective of this article is to propose the stages of the positioning process and its corresponding steps. This research is of documental nature and it required a systematic and objective work in order to design a new approach based mainly on written documents. Said process involved reading, analyzing, summarizing, interpreting and reflecting on the information produced by other authors. The positioning process proposed in this article comprises four stages, nine sub-stages and twenty-four steps. Nonetheless, it is not a rigid but a dynamic process that requires: the necessary adjustments to the strategies and tactics used in order to adapt them to reality; a long-term constant work involving all the management levels of the organization; and conducting every necessary activity for avoiding over-positioning, under-positioning, dubious positioning or confusing positioning.