Sam Horn's 7P Positioning Process to POP! out of Your Pack

"We're all in a race to be relevant." - Eleanor Clift

I was teaching a "Name It, Claim It, Fame It" course in March 2020 when Covid happened. Within days, everyone's brick and mortar business was shut down.

I told our group, "If you depend on in-person contact for your income - if you don't pivot right now to stay relevant - you could get 'Blockbustered.'"

I suggested, "Look at your LinkedIn bio and website. Do they reference what's going on in the world right now? If not, you run the risk of being irrelevant.

Update all your descriptive copy today so it's current to today's circumstances.

For example, if you're in the wellness industry, add Coronavirus to the Nav Bar on your website and mention you're available for media interviews and podcasts.

Create a one-page Do's & Don'ts PDF people can download that shares your expertise, (e.g. 'How to Stay Fit Without Going to the Gym.')

Post blogs or do short videos on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram or TikTok that give actionable advice in your area of expertise.

Figure out how to share your knowledge virtually to stay commercially-viable."

Those smart entrepreneurs did just that.

As a result, they're all thriving. Even more importantly, they are all earning a good living doing work they love that matters.

How about you?

Is your business (and products/services/offerings) current to what's happening?

If so, good for you.

If not, you might want to use my 7 P Process to figure out how to create a current positioning that helps you stay visible and commercially-viable.

Sam Horn's 7P Process To Create Current, Commercially-Viable Positioning

P = Purpose. What is a tangible goal you want for your business in the next 3 months? Do you want to switch your business model to virtual? Generate a certain amount of money? Introduce a product that solves an urgent problem? Partner with another organization? Distill that into one succinct sentence.

P = Person.  Who are your decision-makers? Who has the authority to buy what you're selling? Describe them so you can see them. Are they 35 or 65? In the C-suite or stay-at-home moms? Why would they NOT be interested in your offering? These are your barriers to entry. The more barriers to entry you have, the less likely you are to succeed. How will you make those barriers-to-entry moot so they're a non-issue?

P = Problem.  What frustrations do your decision-makers have? Are they low on cash flow? Working 12 hours a day and running on empty? Are they online all the time and have Zoom Fatigue? Working with a toxic team? Confused by conflicting advice and don't know who to believe anymore? What don't they have/know that they WANT to have/know?

P = Premise.  Your premise is "What if you didn't have that problem? What if it didn't have to be that way? What if there was a better way, more effective way, safer way, less expensive way, faster way, more trusted way?" THIS is where you get creative. Now is the time to consider new options, disruptive approaches, and innovative "haven't seen that before" innovations that remove the barriers to entry and create a 1st-of-its-kind offering.

P = Product, Program or Process  If you brainstorm the above P's, you'll often come up with a new offering that solves problems your decision-makers have. Your goal is to create the next new thing. Because "First to market owns the market." For example, years ago, Enterprise entered the crowded car rental market dominated by Hertz and Avis. They did the "opposite of the always." They located in neighborhoods instead of at airports - and offered pick-up and drop-off service - which no one else offered. Instant competitive advantage. How can you create an offering that is the "opposite of the always?"

P = Promise. If you create something new and different, people may not trust it because it doesn't have a proven track record. How can you reduce risk by building in a probationary period or a "money-back" guarantee? How can you address elephant-in-the-room doubts so people believe you will deliver on your promises? How will you communicate this on your website so this "I can trust you" credibility is not inferred - it's a crystal clear commitment?

P = POP. In a world of INFObesity, you will get lost in the crowd unless you create a title and tagline that help you stand out of the crowd. What is an intriguing brand name, headline or one-sentence marketing description that gets your new creation, positioning, messaging noticed - for all the right reasons? (Tips on how to do this here.)

To stay profitable, we must frequently update and pivot our positioning so it matches the Zeitgeist.

Helen Keller said, "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but we often look so long at the closed door, we do not see the one which has opened for us."

If doors have closed for you and your business, which new ones have opened?

If you want to succeed, see the open doors and then create a current, relevant, commercially-viable positioning around it ... now, not someday.

- - -

Want Sam to create a 7P positioning for you? Join her virtual Master Class.