Several years ago Al Ries and Jack Trout, owners of a New York advertising agency, authored the book Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind. They explained that a company must create a position in the prospect�s mind. A position that takes into consideration not only a company�s own strengths and weaknesses, but those of its competitors as well.

Once this �positioning� has been accomplished, continual and consistent advertising, marketing, and promotion must be maintained to hold the position. Although positioning is done at the highest levels on Madison Avenue, it can be modeled and duplicated by your company ... regardless of its present size.

You can begin by asking four questions:

1) Does my product or service offer a benefit to my audience that they really want?

2) Is it a true benefit?

3) Does it separate me from the competition?

4) Is it unique and/or difficult to copy?

Once you�re satisfied with your answers, write down in a few paragraphs your company�s goals � essentially you must know who you are, where you are going, and how you�ll get there. Your goals should incorporate your marketing, creative, and media plans.

Marketing plan. This includes objectives, priorities, monitoring methods, what you�ve learned about your key customers and your competition; plus the present probabilities and realities of your marketplace.

Creative plan. What�s your unique selling proposition? It will dictate your message and identity, that is, what your advertising is going to say.

Media plan. This determines where you are going to spend your cash and trade dollars.

The rest is up to you. The key to success is not just the knowledge of how or what to do, but in the doing � taking action.