Reposition Your Product to Tap into a New Market with This Powerful Strategy

Is your product struggling to gain traction? It might be time to rethink your approach.

One of the most effective ways to breathe new life into your brand is through repositioning—shifting your product’s appeal to target a fresh audience. This strategic move can unlock new opportunities, broaden your customer base, and increase sales by emphasizing your product's unique qualities in a way that resonates with a different market segment.

Why Repositioning Works

Repositioning isn’t about changing the product itself—it’s about shifting the way people perceive it. By highlighting different aspects of your product that better align with the needs of a new audience, you create fresh demand without altering your core offering.

Consider the case of Milk Duds. Originally marketed to teenagers as a go-to movie snack, the brand successfully repositioned itself by promoting its long-lasting chew as a key benefit. This subtle shift attracted a new audience—those looking for a candy that offered a prolonged, satisfying experience rather than just a quick treat.

Identifying Your Product’s Unique Appeal

To successfully reposition your product, start by pinpointing what makes it stand out. Ask yourself:

What unique features does my product have that haven’t been emphasized before?
Is there a specific experience or benefit that could appeal to a different market?
How does my product solve a problem that another audience might face?

In the case of Milk Duds, the extended chewing experience became the focal point. Likewise, your product might have a hidden advantage—whether it’s long-lasting durability, a unique use case, or an unexpected benefit—that can be highlighted to attract a new group of buyers.

Finding the Right Market

With your new market in mind, it’s essential to develop a compelling marketing campaign that effectively communicates the revised positioning. Here’s how:

Revise Your Messaging – Tailor your copy to speak directly to the new audience’s needs, desires, and pain points.
Update Branding Elements – Adjust visuals, packaging, and tone to align with the expectations of your new target market.
Leverage Targeted Advertising – Use digital marketing, influencer partnerships, and social media campaigns to reach your new audience effectively.
Showcase the New Benefits – Create engaging content (videos, blog posts, testimonials) that highlight why your product is now the perfect fit for this new segment.

Marketing Your Repositioned Product

Now that you’ve redefined your product’s role, it's time to update your marketing strategy.

Craft a message that speaks directly to your new target audience, highlighting the benefits that matter most to them. Just like Milk Duds used clever advertisements to promote its long-lasting quality, think about how you can creatively emphasize your product’s strengths in a way that grabs attention and resonates with the audience.

Take Action and Transform Your Product’s Market Position

Repositioning a product is a game-changer when done right.

By strategically shifting how your audience perceives your offering, you can open the door to new revenue streams and untapped opportunities. Start by analyzing your product from the perspective of a potential new customer and ask yourself: What problem does it solve for them?

Then, refine your messaging and marketing to emphasize the benefits that matter most. With a fresh perspective and a well-crafted strategy, repositioning can transform your product into a must-have for a whole new market. Don’t let a stagnant approach hold you back—embrace the power of repositioning and watch your product thrive in new spaces.

Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind

by Al Ries and Jack Trout

The first book to deal with the problems of communicating to a skeptical, media-blitzed public, Positioning describes a revolutionary approach to creating a "position" in a prospective customer's mind-one that reflects a company's own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of its competitors. Writing in their trademark witty, fast-paced style, advertising gurus Ries and Trout explain how to:

Make and position an industry leader so that its name and message wheedles its way into the collective subconscious of your market-and stays there
Position a follower so that it can occupy a niche not claimed by the leader
Avoid letting a second product ride on the coattails of an established one.