PERCEPTUAL MAPPING&POSITIONING

MADE BY: POOJA PODDARSHIVANI SETHISHIVANI SHARMA

WHAT IS PERCEPTUAL MAPPING ?Marketing research technique in which consumer's views about a product are traced or plotted (mapped) on a chart.

Respondents are asked questions about their experience with the product in terms of its performance, packaging, price, size, etc.

Theses qualitative answers are transferred to a chart (called a perceptual map) using a suitable scale , and the results are employed in improving the product or in developing a new one.

DEFINITIONPerceptual mapping is a graphics technique used by marketers that attempts to visually display the perceptions of customers or potential customers. Typically the position of a product, brand, or company is displayed relative to their competition.

NEED FOR PERCEPTUAL MAPPINGIndicates most important attribute in consumer decision making

Show where a firm's own brand and competing brands score in the minds of consumers on each salient attribute

Suggest possible opportunities in the market.

PERCEPTUAL MAPPING/POSITIONING MAP Perceptual mapping is also called positioning map which helps you to develop a marketing positioning strategy for you product or services.

Perceptual maps or positioning maps as they are sometimes referred to, are often used to help the organization identify a positioning strategy.

PLOTTING OF PERCEPTUAL MAP FOR CARTA BLANCA

TYPES OF PERCEPTUAL MAPSThere are three types or way of plotting a perceptual map. These are :-

1.Using two attributes :This map uses only two determinant. Attributes to plot the map.

The advantage of this is it is simple to construct and easy to interpret.

2. Using many product attributes:

This is drawn using a statistical technique called correspondence analysis.

Provide a good overview of how the target market views and connects various attributes.

Little bit confusing and difficult to interpret.

3. Joint Perceptual Mapping:Maps the preferred needs of different market segments, based on the same attributes.The perceived product positioning is jointly presented with the needs of the segment.Allows the firm to identify how well they are positioned to relative to their particular target markets.

MARKETING RESEARCH TOOL FOR POSITIONINGAnalytic procedure for measuring and plotting consumers reactions to important attributes and benefits of a set of competing products

Multidimensional image of the perceived similarities and differences among products and brands.

The number of dimensions reflects the number of important customer attributes.

Perceptual maps may be derived from data on consumer perceptions of similarities between brands using a statistical procedure called multidimensional scaling.

ATTRIBUTES AND THE BENEFITS Attributes form the axes (and the axis anchors) of the perceptual map.

Consumers use only one dimension to evaluate products, and to have a single axis perceptual "map.

Product strengths and weaknesses relative to competing products along important attributes.

This is revealed by the positions of the marketer's brand and competing brands along the axes.

Market opportunities: Overlaying a map of consumers 'perceptions of the existing market with their ideal points will reveal potential for new brands and opportunities for repositioning existing brands.

Market evolution : Tracking customer perceptions over time, and comparing perceptual maps developed at each point in time, can reveal how the market is changing.

First, ideal points may shift as new offerings enter the market and as markets mature.

Second, the most important attributes may change as a result of environmental changes and the creative positioning of new entrants.

Thus, perceptual maps may be used to document where the market has been in the past, currently is, and where customers think it is going in the future.

USES OF PERCEPTUAL MAPPINGManagers use perceptual maps at a variety of levels, such as for brand, product, and corporate positioning.

Perceptual maps of brands is used to assess opportunities for new brands, as well as for repositioning existing brands.

Product perceptual maps may be used to examine the competition between generic substitutes and help identify new, unexpected ways in which customer needs may be met.

Corporate perceptual maps could provide useful information on how to position a company in relation to its competitors

Perceptual maps when developed for each segment helps managers to develop a fine-grained description of the market and competition in each segment.

Perceptual maps may combine with consumer attitudinal and preference data to explore how well each brand meets consumer preferences.

Perceptual mapping may be the input for segmentation.

Customer perceptual maps can also validate managers' own market maps.

Positioning is Creating an image in the minds of consumers.WHAT IS POSITIONING?????

Amarketing strategythataimsto make a brand occupy a distinctposition, relative tocompetingbrands, in the mind of thecustomer.

Companiesapplythisstrategyeither by emphasizing the distinguishingfeaturesof their brand (what it is, what it does and how, etc.)

Orthey may try tocreatea suitableimage(inexpensive orpremium, utilitarian or luxurious, entry-level or high-end, etc.) throughadvertising.

Once a brand is positioned, it is very difficult to reposition it without destroying its credibility. Also called as PRODUCT POSITIONING.

Differentiationin the context of business is what a company can hang its hat on that no other business can.

Whatever a business can use to stand out from the rest is called differentiation.

Differentiation in todays over-crowded marketplace is a business imperative, not only in terms of a companys success, but also for its continuing survival.

KEY ELEMENT TO POSITION YOUR PRODUCT

REASONS FOR FAILURE OF POSITIONINGThe company did not carefully define its target segment.

The company did not develop a clear positioning strategy in conjunction with its advertising agency.

Marketing communications, including product, packaging, advertising, promotion, pricing, and distribution did not clearly articulate or communicate its positioning strategy.

The media selected were improper, and did not reach or impact the target market.

POSITIONING APPROACHESBrands/products can be positioned in many different ways in the marketplace.

However, there are several major categories ofpositioningapproaches, which will help us understand the range of positioning options available.

TYPES OF POSITIONING APPROACHES

1)BY PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES- A product attribute is a specific feature or benefit of the product. Positioning in this way focuses on one or two of the products best features/benefits, relative to the competitive offerings.

2)BY PRICE VALUE-Value-based pricing(alsovalue optimized pricing) is apricing strategywhich sets prices primarily, but not exclusively, on the value, perceived or estimated, to the customer rather than on the cost of the product or historical prices. Where it is successfully used, it will improve profitability due to the higher prices without impacting greatly on sales volumes.

3)BY USE OR APPLICATION-With this approach, the product/brand is positioned in terms of how it is used in the market by consumers, indicating that the product is the best solution for that particular task/use.

4)ACCORDING TO USERS-This positioning approach highlights the user (the ideal or representative target consumer) and suggests that the product is the ideal solution for that type of person and may even contribute to their social self-identity.

5)ACCORDING TO COMPETITORS-With this approach the firm would directly compare (or sometimes just imply), a comparison against certain well-known competitors (but not generally not the whole product class as above).

6)BY ENDORSEMENT-This shows that the practice ofusing super stars in advertising generates a lot of publicity and attention from the public.The underlying question is, how the lively interest of thepublic in the rich and famous canbe effectively used by companies to promote their brands and consequently increase revenues

7)BY QUALITY DIMENSIONS-Some firms will position products based on relative high quality, or based on the claim that they represent significant value.

8)BY PHYSICAL EVIDENCE-Defines the environment in which the service is delivered and in which the firm and the customer interest, and any tangible commodities that facilitate performance and communication of the service.

9)BY USING A COMBINATION OF THE ABOVE OPTIONS-Some products/brands are positioned using a combination of the above positioning options. However, care needs to be taken not to clutter and confuse the message by trying to connect with too many competitive advantages.

EXAMPLE

Top-of-th-World Wellness Spa - a beauty and fitness service firm with state-of-the-art technological infrastructure, machines, gadgets and skilled manpower

ATTRIBUTES OF THE SPAAMBIENCE

TIMINGS

QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS

INFRASTUCTURE

SERVICE - PROVIDERS(EMPLOYEES)

ATMOSPHERE

HYGENE

THANK YOU

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