Source Marketing Direct can report that their increased focus on brand positioning has proved successful for their growing client base. Current growth projections for the outsourced sales and marketing firm are estimated to exceed 6% by the second quarter of 2013.
Brand positioning is the placing of a product in the marketplace, in order for it to have a specific place in the consumer’s mind. The Management Study Guide article ‘Brand Positioning Strategy’ describes brand positioning as “creating points of similarities and points of difference” between separate brands. Brand positioning can involve areas such as target audience, price, context (e.g. time of day) and function. Brand positioning allows products to create a niche in a crowded marketplace where consumers are faced with a vast array of choices.
Source Marketing Direct is following the example of several high-profile brands that are sharpening their focus on brand positioning in order to increase consumer engagement and widen their target audience. The MarketingWeek article ‘Brand potency lies in the power of the people’ describes how Blossom Hill noticed a gap in the wine market which was positioned solely towards high-value ‘connoisseurs’ or price-conscious customers, by focusing on consumers’ attitudes and emotional responses towards the product. Hector Montalvo, managing director of Source Marketing Direct, agrees that the customer experience should lie at the heart of a brand positioning strategy: “What I find interesting about the Blossom Hill example is that they are targeting consumers based on their emotional experiences of the brand, rather than using a straightforward pricing strategy. From our experience dealing with consumers directly over the last five years, we understand that customer service is crucial not only to acquiring, but also retaining customers. Our strength as a direct marketing firm is that we can engage with prospects on a personal level, allowing a greater degree of emotional involvement and interaction with the brand. ”
Source Marketing Direct considers the ‘consumer experience’ as essential to their ability to gain and maintain long-term customers. The firm recently reported an increase in customer acquisition of 5% following the implementation of new customer care policies. Managing director Hector Montalvo explains: “We believe that focusing on the customer’s experience at the point of sale makes the customer feel valued by the brand, which creates more brand loyalty and ultimately more long-term customers.” Source Marketing Direct currently boosts a customer retention rate of 76%, a figure they aim to exceed 80% by the 3rd quarter of 2013.
Source Marketing Direct in the last five years has expanded into Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Scotland; international expansion is planned within the next 12 months.