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The 7 Pillars of Positioning
When it comes to positioning, a correlation does make the truth: organizations that stand for something unique in the mind of consumers or customers grow and prosper while the ones that stand for nothing or too many things will eventually disintegrate sooner than later. The survival of any company in a modern market-state-economy is dependent on the quality of information available to its management as well as the staff. Unarguably, the Americans are peerless when it comes to information-sharing; they communicate lavishly. This is the source of the obvious resilience and competitive advantage which many American companies enjoy over their counterparts in Africa and Asia. For instance, there are probably more books on why Enron failed than even on IBM turn-around. But here in Nigeria, we scarcely want to talk on why a company went under because we are only used to talking about best practices. But great lessons can equally be learnt from gallant failures.
Revolutions are happening all around us and the emergence of do-it-yourself technology makes forecasting job to be fraught with enormous vulnerability today. In a market-state–economy, only the fittest companies survive the hyper competitive, dog-eat-dog economic milieu. Consumers are kings; they determine which companies to keep alive and the ones to inter. Little wonder why only 60% of the manufacturing companies and 30% of the banks that sang Christmas carol in December 1999 were alive by January 2008 to say happy New Year. In corporate Nigeria, the question is: How did Zenith bank survive the Soludo consolidation re-engineering and Fountain Trust and 63 other banks got dispatched to The Great Beyond? Was it money- power or network or luck or handiwork of unseen forces? No. The answer lies in Positioning.
Positioning is about what is unique in a company, what a company stands for. How buyers or consumers perceive a company will determine the share of the mind and the share of the shelve which such company’s products will enjoy. Positioning is about perception; and perception is reality. The 25 banks that survive the consolidation exercise are mostly the ones that represent something in the mind of consumers. And even then, it will be discovered that 1+1=5 in some banks after consolidation, while 7+1 is less than 1 among some 8 banks that came together. The long and short of it is that the companies that will survive must stand for something in the mind of consumers. A critical analysis of all the companies that have been forced to close shops whether in the media or manufacturing or telecom industries show that majority of them did not stand for something worthwhile in the mind of their respective patrons i.e. consumers. Hardly can anybody remember what Lead Merchant, Bond, ABC, and Metropolitan banks among others stood for when they were in operation? In the media, can anyone remind us what position Sentinel and Globe magazines occupied in the mind of their readers?
However, it is one thing for an organization to communicate one position to its target audience; it’s a different ball game for the audience to see the perceived value. In the last three years, arising from stiff competition, every organization has been trying to purchase a portion of the consumer mind, some have been successful while majority have failed. This is because most companies don’t match their words with actions. For instance, when Intercontinental bank comes out with ‘the face of Leadership’, people wonder which leadership? – In which area. Zenith bank says it is for people, service and technology: Service for whom? Sky bank on the other hand says it is the leader in e-business, while bank PHB says it is the king of innovation. On its part, GT bank constantly waves the ‘professionalism handkerchief’ to us. These are all wonderful positions but consumers like beautiful brides (which they are) are very cautious; they seek for hard facts, concrete evidence to know which of them is for real.
In the paragraphs that follow, we shall look into the seven pillars of positioning to enable managers of organizations see how IBM, Coca-cola, General Electric, Intel, Microsoft and Apple among other great companies managed to engrave themselves into the minds of consumers globally for generations.
Pillar 1: Leadership. The advantage of being the first in a market segment over being the best is as high as 40%. I totally agree with Al Ries and Jack Trout in their powerful book on Positioning that it is far easier to get to the market place first than to try to convince someone that you have a superior product. We witnessed this when Zenith and GT banks first came out to raise N25billion each in the stock market three years ago; they spent less money in advertising than the other banks which came after them.
Pillar 2: Mind. Marketing battles are won or lost first in the mind: getting to the market first is not as important as getting to the mind of the consumer first. The eternal advantage which Guinness stout has over Legend extra stout is the fact that Guinness got into the mind of consumers first. This is why ladies hardly forget their first ‘toaster’
Pillar 3: Perception. All truths are subjective and relative. Everything in this world is about perception. There is no brand of the year, no bank of the year; no man of the year: its all about perception. Perception is real, and it is everything.
Pillar 4: Focus. Companies that successfully own a word in the prospect minds have won 50% of the battle. 7up: the difference is clear. Coke: Always coca-cola. New Horizons: Everything is possible. First bank: truly the first. Skye bank: saying yes to your dream. It works magic, and it shows on the balance-sheet as well.
Pillar 5: Opposite. When bank PHB went for full re-branding, little did it occur to the management that it will catch fire with consumers. There is opportunity in weakness. Companies that are not number one in getting to the market or mind before competition can still prosper if it plays the law of opposite in marketing very well the way 7up and AVIS car hire have done.
Pillar 6: Line Extension: The temptation is always strong for CEOs to extend the brand equity of a product or name. But the end result is always almost a disaster. Maltina did it with little success. Fanta Chapman in coke was a failure. Almost all banks that went into mortgage business in the 1990s in Nigeria got their fingers burnt. Consumers will have no problem in drinking star lager beer from Nigerian Brewery; but certainly the concept of a coke- beer will take miracle to fly. But this is what most CEOs do each time they run out of ideas to boost revenue base of their corporations.
Pillar 7: Resources. No doubt, a life without oxygen and blood will automatically come to an abrupt close the same way a company without cash. Cash remains the king. Cash is blood in business. Without good resources the most brilliant idea won’t get off the ground. Coke, Microsoft, IBM, MTN have all used their respective financial power to permanently weaken competition. Nonetheless,ideas will continue to rule the world!
Tim Akano (timakano1@gmail.com)
Tim Akano is an IT specialist and CEO, New Horizons. He is a seminar presenter and one of the World’s top coaches on sixth-sense corporate strategy.
Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has announced a $15 million grant to support 3,000 budding entrepreneurs from 52 African countries.
Tony Elumelu, founder, TEF, made this known on Sunday in Abuja during the unveiling of the 2025 cohort of the foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme.
He stated that each beneficiary would receive a $5,000 seed grant to kick-start their businesses.
Elumelu, who is also chairman of Heirs Holdings, Transcorp, and United Bank for Africa (UBA), reaffirmed his commitment to empowering African entrepreneurs and transforming the continent’s economic landscape.
According to Elumelu, the foundation aims to democratise opportunity across the continent, fostering economic growth and providing young Africans with access to funding and mentorship.
“We had a vision that started in 2010; one that envisions a self-sustaining Africa, driven by the energy, vision, and resilience of young entrepreneurs.
“We understand the challenges they face in contributing to Africa’s economic transformation.
“If empowered and encouraged, these young Africans can drive meaningful change,” he said.
He noted that capital alone was not enough, highlighting the importance of business education, mentorship, and training in building successful entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurship programme, which began in 2015, originally set out to economically empower 10,000 young Africans over 10 years, each receiving $5,000 in seed capital.
“This year marks the 15th anniversary of the foundation, and we have made a considerable impact across all 54 African countries.
“In the 21st century, Africa does not need aid; what it needs is investment in its youth,” Elumelu said.
Somachi Chris-Asoluka, chief executive officer (CEO), TEF, noted that since the programme’s launch in 2015, the foundation had.disbursed over $100 million to more than 21,000 young entrepreneurs across Africa.
According to Chris-Asoluka, these businesses have collectively created 1.5 million enterprises, and generated $4.5 billion in revenue.
“Our entrepreneurs have demonstrated that ideas are the lifeblood of the African continent.
“For the 2025 cohort, we received over 200,000 applications, and from this pool, 3,000 entrepreneurs from 52 African countries will receive $15 million in funding.
“Each entrepreneur will receive a $5,000 non-refundable seed grant; this is neither a loan nor equity,” she stated.
She further assured that the foundation had a monitoring and evaluation platform in place to track progress after disbursement, ensuring that beneficiaries adhered to their approved business plans.
National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has urged Nigerians to dispose of used batteries responsibly to prevent environmental and health hazards.
Innocent Barikor, director-general of NESREA, stressed the need to upgrade the lead-acid battery recycling sector in Nigeria and Africa.
He told Vanguard Newspaper recently that improper disposal of batteries poses severe risks to public health and called for strict adherence to environmental regulations.
He noted that Nigeria had already introduced regulations for the battery sector and emphasized the need for enforcement.
Barikor also highlighted the importance of standardizing battery recycling regulations across Africa, stressing that non-uniform policies hinder progress.
He further noted that the recent international conference was organized to bring together stakeholders and experts from other countries to discuss solutions and best practices for improving lead-acid battery recycling in Africa.
He said, “Nigerians should simply avoid breaking batteries. There are registered collectors trained to handle used batteries. If you’re through with your battery, send it to the people who know how to collect and dispose of it properly.
“The regulation is not meant to shut down businesses but to ensure batteries are handled responsibly. More batteries will be needed due to the transition to green energy, but we must prevent lead contamination.
“Part of the challenge we have today is the lack of standardization among African countries. If regulations are uniform, companies will have no choice but to comply,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr. Leslie Adogame, executive director, Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADeV), called for cleaner recycling technologies in the lead-acid battery sector.
According to Adogame, a policy framework was developed following global concerns over Nigeria’s lead recycling practices, which led to increased scrutiny from international investors.
He explained that European investors buying lead from Nigeria had cut ties with some facilities due to pollution concerns, which prompted regulatory changes.
He said, “When we examined the industry, we found many sharp practices under the guise of recycling. While recycling is good, brown recycling—where pollution is not controlled—is harmful.
“You cannot put the economy above people’s health. If facilities must be shut down to protect lives, then that’s what should be done,” he stated.
On the adoption of cleaner technologies, Adogame added, “We are not promoting a particular technology, but industries must embrace best practices. If you must recycle, use equipment that does not pollute the environment.”
Meanwhile, Andreas Manhart, coordinator of the Partnership for Responsible Battery and Metal Recycling (ProBaMet), highlighted efforts to improve lead-acid battery recycling in Nigeria.
He noted that informal recycling practices contribute to severe pollution and called for sustained efforts to protect public health.
“The project has introduced improved recycling technologies, trained recyclers, and worked with government agencies to enforce stricter regulations.
“Continuous enforcement of environmental laws, investment in modern recycling facilities, and stronger collaboration between stakeholders are necessary to minimize lead contamination,” he added.
Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has explained the reasons why it is clamping down on illegal and unlicensed courier and logistics operators in Enugu State.
The Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department (CLRD) team of NIPOST, began the enforcement operations by sealing offices of unlicensed operators and confiscating some motorbikes belonging to illegal and unlicensed operators.
It was gathered that some of the affected operators had been issued with demand notices since 2023, with them not showing any interest in complying with the provisions of the law.
Gideon Shonde, general manager, CLRD, who spoke to newsmen during the exercise in Enugu, said NIPOST was enforcing its regulatory mandates with the exercise, which he said was necessary to sanitize the sector especially as the Postal, Express, Courier and Logistics industry in Nigeria had been proliferated and infiltrated with so many unlicensed and illegal courier and logistics operators, posing serious threats to Nigerians.
While disclosing that he and his team had visited Enugu before now with compliance level still very low, he lamented that there had been unethical practices, such as price undercutting, pilfering, broaching, damages, loss and dumping of customers items, poaching and subletting of operating licenses with a mountain of public complaints about customers being duped or obtaining money from them under pretences, no traceable office address nor registered brand name.
Shonde pointed out the issue of public safety and security threats, due to carriage of illicit drugs and prohibited items like small arms and ammunition, guns, gold, monies, and obscene items, among other illicit items.
He, however, said any interested private investors into the Postal, Express, Courier and Logistics business should follow due process and obtain a grant of operating Licenses from the Federal Government.
He advised that they should obtain a grant of Operating License from the NIPOST postmaster general as stipulated by the extant laws or risk facing the full wrath of the law, and prosecution.
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