Triangulation: Three Views Into Your Brand.

Early explorers did it. Navigators of tall ships did it. And yes the military still does it. Triangulation. What is it? The ability to take at least three sightings from known points that yield the answer to where you are geographically.

Surprisingly, we approach brand positioning the exact same way. We “take a fix” on the customer’s perception of the brand by asking the customer about their insights of the brand. We then move along to determine where the internal audience thinks the brand is, and lastly, we look at the competitive landscape to determine who is where. By viewing the brand from three vantage points, we see it more clearly and gauge it much more accurately.

Customers’ perceptions are arguably the most important views of the brand and can provide the most insight. Perceptions can be gathered during focus groups, one–on–one interviews or through user group studies. A series of questions are asked to inquire about the brand’s functional benefits, emotional benefits and basic value proposition. Some questions even ask for respondents to project the brand’s attributes to inanimate objects or recognizable personas.

Along with the customers’ perceptions, we also recognize the importance of sighting the brand from the internal audience — that is the company marketing the product or service. The internal audience can be segmented between senior management, middle management and front–line personnel. Each group has a unique perspective and one that should be considered to truly understand the brand’s positioning.

Almost all brands have competitors. Where and how your competitors market their brands has a direct impact on your brand’s opportunities and chances for success. A thorough understanding and view of the competitive landscape can reveal openings for new positioning or re–positioning. Reviewing competitors can also save valuable time by recognizing certain competitors’ own positions in the customer’s mind that can not be changed.

So, if you’re looking to understand where your brand is, try triangulation as a start. It may be as much fun as shooting the stars from the deck of your boat.