All companies have multiple audiences. Each audience may have a different value proposition from the company. But, does that mean that we need to promote a different position with each audience?
The short answer is No.
Your corporate positioning goal should be the same for every audience. At a higher level, the positioning message needs to be consistent. But, the value proposition and benefit messages can be tailored by audience. Here are some examples for a made-up company called Wizzy Widgets.
Example of a corporate positioning goal
Wizzy Widgets is the leader in open widgets for trolls who want a wizzy experience on the Web.
Example of tailored value messaging for trolls in IT
Wizzy Widgets provides an open widget platform, allowing easy integration with corporate applications and greater vendor choice. The benefits of using Wizzy Widgets are reduced integration costs, lower risk and more satisfied users.
Example of tailored value messaging for investors
Wizzy Widgets, the only open widget play, is well positioned to become the industry standard in the $600 billion troll market.
How Do You Implement Tailored Messages for Different Audiences?
Too often companies try to be all things to all people. This is often reflected on their website home page, which typically will have multiple messages and images that confuse visitors. Companies have to make a decision—not all your “children” are equal. Therefore, certain products and messages get top billing, while others become secondary or supporting.
In terms of hierarchy, companies should make sure that their corporate positioning is clear on the home page. Visitors to the Wizzy Widgets site should know that the company is all about “open widgets”. If Wizzy Widgets had both business visitors and consumer visitors, the message about being “open widgets for a wizzy web experience” would still be the Home Page message. However, the website could then direct business users and consumers to different areas with tailored messaging for each audience.
Customizing messages for different audiences is not difficult to do. But, companies need to have a broad enough corporate positioning umbrella to make all these messages fit logically. The key to consistent positioning is to ensure that the high-level messages remain constant. Then customization of messages for different audiences will not be confusing.
