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When you begin a new Internet business, there are so many things to do that it is easy to postpone addressing some of the most important aspects of marketing. One of the decisions that you should not omit from your early planning is the positioning of your business.

Basically a marketing position describes your unique place in the market. The key word here is unique. What makes you different from your that of your competitors? What features and benefits do you offer your target customers or clients that the other players don’t?

-Customer Service – Almost every business claims they have great service. If you can give exceptional service compared to your competitors, your clients will remember you. I’ll never forget calling a foul tempered handyman to try to get him to my house for a plumbing emergency on a weekend. He acted like he didn’t want my business and then told me it was going to be 0 for him just to show up. I told him “never mind” and hung up. I called roto-router who gave me amazing service, a guarantee, and the whole bill was less than the other guy’s service call fee. I now use that company for all my plumbing, whether emergency or not.

-Extraordinary Features and Benefits – Positioning is not just about what makes you different, it’s also about what you emphasize. Folgers announces to the world that it’s “mountain grown coffee” ( a feature). Guess what? All coffee is mountain grown. Folgers just claimed this feature first. What is there that none of your competitors are talking about?

-Price Point – This doesn’t necessarily mean you have the lowest price. You may be the most expensive in town, and that’s OK if you convince your customers you’re worth it.

-Negative Features – Is there something you don’t have that annoys customers of your competitors? I’m not saying use negative advertising, but just mention the feature and tie it to a benefit. I’m annoyed when I have to pay for parking to go shopping at Mall. Instead of touting free parking, a mall that wants to speak to me might declare, “you’ll never have to pay for parking”. This drives home the pain of shopping with a competitor without going negative.

-Credibility – Some businesses like to brag about their long history. If your business is new, you need to find a different way to establish your credentials. Perhaps you might say that you bring fresh ideas to your industry or niche. Adding logos from recognizable, trusted sources helps as well. Join the Chamber of Commerce or Better business Bureau. Work to obtain the endorsement of a magazine or a professional organization. Display those endorsements prominently. Plan for the future by soliciting testimonials.

-Etc. – Literally anything that differentiates you from your competitors can be part of your positioning strategy – your clever URL, your hours of live help, the way your site looks. Small business owners need to think creatively here.

You will spend a great deal of time later developing your online business. You may even make adjustments to your positioning as you experiment and discover what is working for you and what isn’t. Immediately, though, you must start working on your positioning statements. They are too important to postpone.

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