Andy Cunningham Shares Her Secrets to Positioning Some of Tech’s Most Iconic Brands
I previously had the opportunity to sit down with another professional hero of mine, positioning expert and Silicon Valley pioneer Andy Cunningham. Andy helped Steve Jobs launch the Macintosh in 1984 and directed PR and communications for him while he was at Apple, NeXT and Pixar. In addition to working with Steve, Andy has repositioned some of the world’s largest tech brands, including Blackberry, Cisco, Oracle and many others.
During our interview, Andy and I discussed her groundbreaking book, ‘Get to Aha!: Discover Your Positioning DNA and Dominate Your Competition.’ In the book, Andy outlines the positioning framework she uses to help companies position themselves to win in the marketplace.
Here are some of the topics we discussed in our interview:
Injecting humanity into marketing.
Why it’s time to stop making stuff up.
How to influence buyers and sell more stuff.
Using the right words to activate people.
How to get attention in today’s marketplace.
To give you a sense of Andy’s perspective, here are four highlights from our interview:
Don’t Sell a Product; Sell a Dream
Andy told me that the best way to influence buyers and sell your product is through the promise of a better future. So, rather than trying to sell a phone’s technology or tout its many benefits, sell what that phone will do for the consumer and how it will improve their life.
According to Andy, “The best way to sell a dream is to tap into the buyer's emotions. What are their hopes and dreams? Fears and anxieties? Once you understand what motivates them, you can start to sell them on the dream of how your product can help them achieve their goals.”
It's Got to be Sticky
During our interview, Andy explained that the secret to great messaging is just three steps. First, you must know your position in the market. This means finding where your product fits amongst others in the market, including what services they can offer your customers. Secondly, your message must resonate. You need to know who your messaging is for and find the right sentiment that will resonate with your consumer and make them want to buy your product. And finally, your message needs to be sticky (or memorable).
Andy says that for consumers to remember you, your messages must be simple, memorable, and consistent. For example, Andy mentioned Apple’s famous tagline, 'Think Different.'
“If you say ‘Think Different’ to someone, you’re saying something very meaningful, but it’s just outside the lines. ‘Think Different’ is not just about thinking outside the box; it's about being willing to challenge the status quo and think in new and innovative ways. It's about being willing to take risks and try new things. It represents a powerful message, and it's one that resonates with a lot of people. That's why ‘Think Different’ has become such a successful tagline for Apple. It's simple, memorable, consistent, and has a deeper meaning that people can relate to.”
Tell a Story People Want to Talk About
Andy continued our masterclass with a point about storytelling. She says that the key to sparking interest in your product is creating a great story centered around an exciting position people want to discuss. In her career, Andy says this was the best way she found to attract the attention of the press. Andy believes this approach can be leveraged today, whether with the press or influencers on social media.
“In today's world, where people are bombarded with information, it is more important than ever to create a great story around your product. A well-crafted story can help to cut through the noise and get people's attention. It can also help to build relationships with potential customers and create excitement around your product. If you want your product to be successful, you need to make sure that people are talking about it. And the best way to do that is to create a great story that people want to share,” Andy said.
Internal Alignment is Critical
Finally, Andy and I discussed the topic of alignment, which is critical to the success or failure of any brand. Andy was clear in her conviction that a key to go-to-market success for any business is ensuring that every person in the company is aligned and working toward the same goal. This is why, Andy told me, when she works with a client, Andy requires that every member of the senior leadership team participates in the positioning exercise.
This way…
Everyone is a part of the process.
Everyone has their fingerprints on the outcome.
Everyone is motivated to activate the strategy.
Watch my full interview with Andy Cunningham, where she discusses her relationship with Steve Jobs and reveals some of her other insider tips and tricks of the trade:
Work with us.
Interested in leveraging Andy’s world-class Aha! positioning approach for your business? For years, AH Marketing has used Andy’s 6 C framework to help companies generate more interest and demand. We’ll work with you to:
Position your Company and Products to Win in the Marketplace
Develop a Compelling Message that Resonates with Your Audiences
Become Ubiquitous Across Your Industry
Increase Demand and Sales
If your business needs help, please CONTACT US for a FREE 30-Minute Consultation, where we can explore what’s standing in the way of your success.
