How to Define and Position Your Brand (Without Losing Your Mind)
“So… what do you do?”
If you can’t answer that question clearly, confidently, and compellingly, we’ve got work to do.
At Virtue Studios, we talk to brilliant people every week - purpose-led founders, ethical marketers, ambitious creatives who’ve got something real to say. But when it comes to defining their brand and carving out their space in the market?
They get stuck.
So, we decided to write about it!
First Things First: What Even Is Brand Positioning?
I’m not huge on using jargon, so put it simple, brand positioning is the space you claim in your customer’s brain.
And defining your brand? That’s just figuring out what you stand for, who you serve, and how to say it all in a way that actually makes people care.
Step 1: Know Thyself
Before you start worrying about taglines or typography, get rooted in your brand foundations:
Your Purpose – Why do you exist (beyond profit)?
Your Values – What do you live by, no matter what?
Your Vision – What future are you trying to create?
Your Mission – How are you making it happen?
If this sounds fluffy - it’s not. It’s the stuff that guides every decision, every campaign, every conversation.
Pro tip: If you’re struggling to answer these, imagine your brand as a person. What do they believe in? What do they fight for? What do they hate? You can also read more on this here.
Step 2: Define Your Audience
This should go deeper than “millennials who love wellness. and “small business owners”.
Get specific.
What do they dream of?
What frustrates them daily?
What problem of theirs are you trying to solve?
What do they say in their DMs or late-night Google searches?
What do they really need—but can’t articulate yet?
The more intimate your understanding, the more magnetic your messaging becomes.
Step 3: Clarify Your Difference
This is the one that gets skipped the most.
“We’re passionate and experienced.” - that’s great, but so are your competitors.
To position your brand, you need to define your edge. Ask:
What do we do that others don’t?
What perspective do we bring to the table?
What do our best customers rave about?
And no, you don’t have to be the loudest or weirdest. You just have to be clear and relevant.
Example: You don’t have to be “the cheapest eco-cleaner brand” if you’re the only one designed for people with pets and allergies. That’s positioning.
Step 4: Write Your Brand Positioning Statement
It doesn’t need to go on your website, but you should have one for internal clarity.
Here’s a simple format we love:
“We help [specific audience] who want [desired result] by [what you uniquely offer], so they can [emotional or practical benefit].”
Example from a past client:
“We help ambitious charities who want to raise awareness and funding without selling their soul, by building purpose-led digital campaigns that actually convert, so they can keep doing the work that matters.”
Step 5: Bring It to Life Everywhere
Once you’ve defined your brand, make sure it shows up consistently:
Website copy
Social captions
Sales calls
Packaging
Emails
Ads
This is where most brands fall down. They’ve got the bones, but not the behaviour.
Your brand is not just what you say. It’s how you act, how you show up, how you make people feel.
TL;DR — How to Define and Position Your Brand
Start with your why: Purpose, values, vision, mission.
Get intimate with your audience: Know what keeps them up at night.
Define your difference: Stand for something clear.
Write a positioning statement: Even if just for yourself.
Live it out loud: In every single touchpoint.
Need Help? That’s What We’re Here For.
If you’re feeling a little lost in the sauce, don’t worry, we’ve got you.
We’ve helped brands in food & drink, charity, sustainability, and beyond get clear on what they stand for and how to position themselves in a way that sticks.
Want to work through your brand positioning together? Book a free check-in with Virtue Studios and let’s start building from the ground up - with purpose, clarity, and no fluff.
I also offer a 1-day immersive course where we work through your brand positioning and strategy all within one meeting.
