Leadership Must Drive Positioning

Positioning is not just a marketing exercise; it is a core component of business strategy. As such, it must be led and driven by the person who is ultimately responsible for the business's success.

This could be:

The CEO or founder in a startup.
The division or business unit leader in a larger company.

When the business leader is actively involved in the positioning process, it sends a clear signal to the rest of the organization that positioning is a top priority. This leadership is essential for:

Ensuring alignment: The leader can ensure that the positioning is aligned with the overall business goals and vision.
Driving adoption: When the leader is championing the positioning, it is much more likely to be adopted and executed consistently across the organization.
Making tough decisions: The leader can make the final call on difficult positioning choices.

A positioning effort that is not led by the business leader is likely to fail. It will be seen as a "marketing thing" and will not get the buy-in and resources it needs to be successful.

Related Concepts: