You're facing pushback from stakeholders on a new product positioning. How do you win their support?

Product positioning doesn't start in a boardroom. It starts by talking to clients and potential client. It starts with a humble attitude and willingness to listen and learn. That a market research skill. Quality positioning starts with quality market research, to ensure the selected positioning is based on facts and reality.

Present facts and thorough market research to support your case. Understand that stakeholders may have biases that need to be addressed. The goal is not to win but to create product positioning that resonates with your target audience and aligns with brand values.

Understand stakeholder concerns and empathize with their perspective. 2. Build a strong case with data-driven evidence and clear benefits. 3. Involve stakeholders, seek input, and address concerns openly. 4. Communicate effectively, tailor messages, and use visuals. 5. Identify key influencers and create a shared vision. 6. Offer incentives and build consensus. 7. Actively listen to opposing views and find common ground. 8. Be open to compromise and persistence. 9. Build strong relationships and anticipate objections. 10. Stay positive and focus on long-term benefits.

To win stakeholder support for a new product positioning amidst pushback, start by thoroughly understanding their concerns and objections. Present a compelling case by showcasing data-driven insights, market research, and customer feedback that validate the new positioning. Highlight how it aligns with broader business objectives and addresses key pain points. Facilitate a collaborative discussion where stakeholders can voice their perspectives and contribute to refining the positioning. By demonstrating how the new approach benefits both the product and the stakeholders' interests, you can build consensus and drive alignment.

Winning stakeholder support for new product positioning starts with engaging clients and potential clients, not just making decisions in a boardroom. Approach with humility, a willingness to listen, and learn from their feedback. This is a key market research skill. Quality positioning relies on thorough market research to ensure it is grounded in facts and reflects market realities.

While presenting objective data to support your new product positioning proposal is crucial to potentially obtaining their buy-in, it's important to present relevant information that addresses those stakeholders' true concerns, not just bombard viewers with irrelevant statistics. Sharing market research, consumer insights, and competitive analysis that truly validates your strategy is a fantastic way to build a compelling narrative that demonstrates why your proposed strategy will add much more value than your current one.

It's important to make sure that business goals are aligned. The question "What's our objective?" pops into mind. In the competitive landscape, we have the opportunity to show how the new positioning aligns with the company’s broader business objectives, such as revenue growth, market expansion, or brand differentiation. Then it's important to take a look at what we think our ROI will be. If we can provide scenarios that outline the potential return on investment (ROI) from the new positioning, then we can possibly have some foresight into overall performance.

It's always amazing how much cooperation you can "suddenly" get, when you have the right person visibly backing you up. Be aware that there is a big difference between a precision (scalpel) approach, and a bludgeon. Either may be warranted at any time, but neither is always appreciated in every environment. In short, play it smart when politicking.

If you are facing budget/resource constraints but want to leverage a pilot program, consider leveraging a Customer Advisory Board or a handful of trusted industry voices. While this won't provide the quant assurance a formal A/B test or campaign might, it can provide qualitative directional feedback as a supportive signal for the new positioning.

Another alternative is to A/B test, so you can directly compare to the benchmark with a higher split of the audience i.e. 50/50 rather than 90/10 or less. A bit higher risk, admittedly, but one that belongs on the spectrum of compromises. Pilot programs are great, if you have the budget, and a manager (or managers) who don't mind the extra wait. However, if you get good numbers with the pilot, your argument is practically guaranteed to win.