Ok, there are a couple problems with product positioning strategies. For one, this is yet another one of those obnoxious things that can mean a few things. For another, there really aren’t mutually standard strategies for this. So, right out of the gate, you see that we’re going to have a weird go of talking about this topic. What All it Means: Well, there are really two ways to define product positioning strategies. More than likely, you mean exposure of the product for outreach and accessibility. However, you could also mean the strategy behind distribution and outlet. We’re not going to worry about the second definition, because that’s outside our field, after all. The Strategy Problem: Strategies and models are commonplace with a lot of business fields, such as training, change, user experience, customer experience and so forth. They form by people trying to solve problems, and doing case studies. After a while, whoever refines them will become an apologist for it, and the rest is history. But, sometimes, this doesn’t actually happen in a field. Or rather, there are fields where it just hasn’t yet to any visible level, happened. When it comes to that kind of situation, you’re up the proverbial excrement creek, sans paddle. Here is where we find ourselves. It’s not my fault or yours. Moving Forward: So, in light of that, let’s see if we can think of a couple basic strategy concepts that probably would work, or we have seen work in this context. This won’t be that hard. #1 – Traditional Brick and Mortar Promotion This is the traditional marketing and placement strategy that anyone born in the twentieth century and who is still alive knows well. This usually consists of media outreach on television and radio, with some special attention in outlet locations. Displays and sales stands throughout stores attracting attention by being out of place and obvious. This one still works, but it’s losing its bite. #2 – Signage Signage, or guerilla marketing, is the oldest form of product placement, putting outreach and awareness sources everywhere on the environment. No matter where you look, it’s there. This is costly, but you know what? People complain about signage but I like it. There’s something for signage and other public guerilla product placement concepts as part of the metropolitan environment and ambiance. It’s expensive as I said, but it works and it’s actually a rare form of appreciable advertisement and marketing. #3 – Digital Digital is all about web ads, SEO and content marketing, and even, now, getting placement in web video and online gaming. While older advertising and placement models online are notoriously obnoxious (pop ups, overdone banners, commercial interruptions of feeds), the new models coming forth are based on the other two strategies above, in a digital form. Future advertising will be like signage and other such public spectacles in a populated area. While you may argue it taints the purity of a design, so what? It’ll just be ambiance. Just as we bring the digital world out into the real now with ubiquitous computing, so will we bring some of the real world over into the digital as it becomes a second space we all cohabitate. Conclusion: Yeah, this doesn’t solve your search for product positioning strategies, because it can’t be solved that simply. Above are the strategies we can all agree are most commonly used. But, the thing here is that they’re never mutually exclusive.