Click the image for details In 1972, Ries and Trout published a series of articles on 'Positioning Era' in Advertising Age, bringing the term 'positioning' into public view. In 1980, 'Positioning' was published, quickly becoming a marketing 'industry standard' and being hailed as 'the most influential concept in American marketing history.' The two masters jointly launched 'The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing,' summarizing the essence of positioning theory into 22 simple, clear laws. As the concluding work of their 25-year collaboration, 'The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing' was published and immediately gained popularity among entrepreneurs worldwide, consistently ranking high on bestseller lists. 1. The Law of Leadership The key point of marketing is: create a new category in which you can be first. This is the Law of Leadership: it is better to be first than to be better. It is much easier to get into the prospect's mind first than to convince them that your product is superior to the pioneering brand in the category. The pioneering brand usually maintains its leadership. One reason is that its name often becomes synonymous with the category. The Law of Leadership applies to any product, any brand, and any category. 2. The Law of Category If you can't be first in a category, then create a new category in which you can be first. If you can't be first in the prospect's mind, find a new category you can be first in. When a new category emerges, people are always willing to try it. 3. The Law of Mind The Law of Mind originates from the Law of Perception. Marketing is a battle of perceptions, not products. You should enter the mind before entering the market. It is better to be first in the mind than to be first in the marketplace. Once a perception is formed, it is very difficult to change it. This is as difficult as a frontal attack on a well-entrenched enemy. 4. The Law of Perception Most marketing mistakes stem from the assumption that we are competing on objective facts. There is no objective reality in marketing, no facts, and no best product. There are only perceptions in the minds of customers or prospects. Only these perceptions are facts; everything else is illusion. Only by studying how perceptions are formed in people's minds and focusing your marketing plan on customers' perceptions can you overcome your basically incorrect marketing instincts. 5. The Law of Focus The essence of marketing is focus. Narrowing your scope makes you strong; pursuing all targets will lead to nothing. No matter how complex the product or how volatile the market demand, focusing on one word or advantage is stronger than having two, three, or even four words or advantages. In marketing, it is futile to abandon the word you already occupy and seek a concept owned by someone else. The Law of Focus applies not only to any product currently being sold but also to those you haven't sold yet. 6. The Law of Exclusivity When a competitor already occupies a word or position in the prospect's mind, it is futile to try to occupy the same word. Once a perception is formed in people's minds, you cannot change it. In fact, you usually only strengthen the competitor's position by making the concept more important. 7. The Law of Ladder Products are not born equal. Prospects always rank brands when making purchase decisions. For each category, a ladder with a purchase order forms in the customer's mind, with each brand occupying a rung. Your marketing strategy should be determined by the position your brand occupies on the mental ladder. Mind share determines market share. Your market share is related to your position on the ladder in the prospect's mind. You should aim to have twice the market share of the brand below you and half of the brand above you. The leading brand is necessarily far ahead of the second brand, and the second brand is far ahead of the third. 8. The Law of Duality From an overall and long-term perspective, you will find that the market often evolves into a competition between two major brands—usually a trusted old brand and a rising star. Customers believe marketing is a battle of products. It is because of this belief that the top of the market always has two brands competing: 'They must be the best because they are the leaders.' Successful marketers focus only on the top two rungs of the mental ladder. 9. The Law of Opposition If you want to be the second in the market, your strategy should be determined by the leader. Strength hides weakness. For any strong leading company, the second-place company has the opportunity to break it down, turning its strengths into weaknesses. If you observe customers of a certain product category, you will find two types: those who want to buy the leading brand and those who don't. The potential second brand must attract the latter group. Many potential second brands try to imitate the leader, which is usually a wrong decision. You must make yourself an alternative choice for customers. Marketing is very much like a struggle for legitimacy. The brand that first occupies a concept always describes its competitors as illegal imitators. A good second-place brand must not be timid. When you give up competing with the leading brand, you become weak not only to the leader but also to all other competitors. 10. The Law of Division Every category starts as a single category, but over time, it divides into several subcategories. Many business leaders do not hold this division concept. Instead, they naively believe that convergence is the main trend. However, this is not the case. Categories and industries are constantly dividing, not converging. When a company tries to use its well-known brand for one product in another category, it makes a mistake. You may develop a new product category too early. However, early is better than late. If you want your product to take root in customers' minds, you must be prepared to wait patiently as things develop. 11. The Law of Persistence In the short term, promotions can increase a company's sales; but in the long run, promotions only reduce sales because they teach customers not to buy at 'normal' prices. Inflation can stimulate economic growth in the short term, but in the long run, it leads to recession. In the short term, overeating can satisfy appetite, but in the long run, it leads to obesity and even depression. 12. The Law of Extension More is less. The more products, the larger the target market, and the longer the line, the less money you make. When you try to satisfy everyone's needs, you inevitably run into trouble. In a narrow sense, brand extension is using a successful brand for a new product you plan to launch. This approach seems logical. But marketing is a battle of perceptions, not products. Management blindly believes that customers have strong loyalty to a company or brand. Without exception, the leader in any product category is not an extended brand in the brand line. 13. The Law of Sacrifice There seems to be a religious belief that a bigger net catches more customers. But it turns out to be the opposite. There are three things you need to sacrifice: product line, target market, and constant change. If you try to follow every trend and fad in the market, you are doomed to be eliminated. The best way to maintain a solid position is not to change your strategy from the beginning. 14. The Law of Attributes Marketing is a battle of perceptions. To succeed, you must have your own unique perception or attribute and center your marketing around it. If you have no attributes, then you'd better have a low price. Product attributes are not born equal. For customers, some attributes are more important than others. Therefore, you must strive to own the most important attribute. 15. The Law of Candor The most effective way to make your product deeply rooted in people's minds is to first admit your shortcomings and then turn them into strengths. It should be noted that the Law of Candor must be used carefully; it requires a high degree of skill. First, your 'shortcoming' must be widely recognized as a shortcoming. Your candor will immediately gain consumer approval. If not, your customers will be confused and ask, 'What's going on?' Second, you must quickly turn the shortcoming into an advantage. The purpose of candor is not to apologize but to establish a benefit point that is convincing enough for prospects. This law merely confirms an old proverb: Honesty is the best policy. 16. The Law of Singularity In most cases, your competitor has only one vulnerable point that is easy to attack, and that is the point you should focus your attack on. Historical experience tells us that in marketing, only a unique, bold move works, and under any given conditions, only specific actions can produce substantial results. The strategy that works in marketing is the same as in military strategy: surprise. 17. The Law of Unpredictability Most marketing plans are assumptions about the future, but these assumptions usually turn out to be wrong. The inability to predict competitors' reactions is a major cause of marketing failure. One way to deal with unpredictable future situations is to build an organization with great flexibility. When the market for your category undergoes fundamental changes, if you want to survive long-term, you must make changes and be able to make them quickly. Although you cannot accurately predict the future, you can grasp the trends of future development, which is the way to gain advantage in changing situations. No one can accurately predict the future, and marketing plans should not try to do so. 18. The Law of Success Arrogance is the enemy of marketing success. Objectivity is what we need. Success often leads to hasty line extensions. When a brand becomes successful, the company believes that the name is the root cause of the brand's success, so they eagerly give the same name to other products. The opposite is true: it is not the name that makes the brand famous (although a bad name may hinder a brand's fame). The brand becomes famous because you implemented the right marketing plan. 19. The Law of Failure When faced with problems, too many companies try to improve rather than abandon them in time. 'Let's regroup and save the situation.' That is their survival strategy. Facing a wrong reality and doing nothing about it is a bad thing, and it is extremely detrimental to your career. A better strategy is to discover mistakes early and take measures to stop losses promptly. If a company wants to operate in an ideal way, it should adopt teamwork, promote team spirit, and have a leader who can make self-sacrifices. 20. The Law of Hype Hype is hype. True revolutions are not noon parades with trumpets, nor do they appear in the 6 o'clock evening news. True revolutions come quietly at midnight. When things are going well, companies do not need hype; when they need hype, it usually means they are in trouble. 21. The Law of Trends If you are facing a rapidly rising industry with all the characteristics of a fad, you'd better downplay the fad. By downplaying the fad, you can extend its popularity, making it more like a trend. Fads are like waves in the ocean, while trends are like tides. Fads always get hype, but trends rarely attract attention. Like waves, fads are visible but come and go quickly; trends are like tides, almost invisible, but their power lasts over a long period. Companies often mistake fads for trends and develop blindly. When the fad fades, companies chasing the fad often suffer severe financial shocks. One way to maintain long-term demand for your product is not to fully satisfy demand. In marketing, the best and most profitable approach is to grasp long-term trends. 22. The Law of Resources Marketing is a game of winning customer perceptions. You need funds to get your idea into the prospect's mind, and once it's in, you also need funds to keep it there. Remember: ideas without financial support are worthless. Be prepared to give up many things to raise funds. -END-