One of the foundational principles of branding and marketing is positioning. 
 
That is, defining a unique position in the market that’s both different from your competitors and valuable to your target market. 
 
But competitive positions aren’t just sitting around waiting for the next company to come along and snap them up. 
 
They’re hidden and require tools and deep, creative thinking to be found.  
 
Market mapping is one of the most effective competitive positioning tools available and this article will give you a template to map a powerful brand position. 

What Is Market Mapping? (Brand Positioning Map Tool)

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What Is Market Mapping?

Market mapping refers to the mapping of your competitive landscape.

It’s the process of using a graph to visualise a given competitive environment by plotting individual competitors using a set of two criteria. 

This mapping process brings the market to life visually helping to uncover gaps, opportunities for brands through the unmet needs of consumers.

The right set of criteria used to plot the map can help to uncover an untapped opportunity of a void in the market that the audience wants.

In other words, the market map in the right hands is a very valuable positioning tool. 

Why Is Market Mapping Important?

When you hear the word market, you might think of traditional market stalls with vendors selling fresh produce such as vegetables, cured meats or cheese.

But most markets aren’t physical places and the landscape of competitors aren’t easily seen or visualised in a way that’s effective for comparison or analysis.

It’s also very easy for business leaders to make assumptions and to believe they have the full picture of their competitions strengths and weaknesses though this can result in costly missed opportunities.