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Category Design In Marketing

Today’s market is more competitive than ever before. There are so many products and brands competing for a few groups of people. It is not enough to have a high-quality product if you want to dominate the market. You do not need another marketing secret; instead, you should have a fresh marketing strategy with category design in mind.

Category design has been around for a long time, and many brands today would not be as successful without it. It is both a business decision and a marketing tactic.

What Is Category Design In Marketing?

Category design is a strategy that involves positioning yourself in the new category you have created. It is founded on how you want people to see and understand your new category. It is about how you design the space surrounding your company and what you have to offer. What do you want people to think about when they hear the name of your company or product? Category design is simply that—the very idea that you want customers to associate with your company.

When you engage in category design in marketing, you are not just designing a product; you are designing your entire company as well. You become the brand that pointed out a problem no one saw or noticed and solved it. You become a pioneer and an innovator, not just another entrepreneur. In category design, you bank on what makes you different.

Benefits Of Category Design In Marketing

If this is your first-time hearing about it, it may seem like a bunch of fancy but meaningless words. There is no denying that category design involves idealism, but that does not mean it does not work in the real world. Apple, Uber, Under Armour, and Netflix are only some examples of category designers that have succeeded.

Now, let’s talk about the advantages.

1 – You Don’t Have Competition

When you look at the four companies previously mentioned, you may think that they did not invent something entirely new. That is true—they are not inventors in the same way Leonardo Da Vinci was. However, they each created a new subcategory addressing a problem major brands did not.

Take Uber as an example. Uber essentially offers taxi service, but it is different in that the company uses technology to make it easier to call a cab. There is no need to stand around waving your hand to get the attention of every cab you see. So while Uber caters to the commuting public, it essentially created a new market of commuters who book their cabs online.

2 – You Make The Rules Of The Game

We see this all the time. The leading company releases a product design, and the next thing we know, everyone else is doing the same thing. By using category design in marketing, you do not need to play by anyone’s rules anymore. You are the only one who will decide all aspects of your brand and product.

This particular benefit will be useful later on when other companies try to infiltrate your market. When that time comes, you will remain ahead of the game and can change things up as you like since you created the rules.

3 – Being The Category King Pays

Companies often boast about dominating X% of a market, which is all well and good. But wouldn’t dominating 100% of a whole new market be better? When you use category design, you become the king or queen of that category, which means you get all the profits.

Signs You Need Category Design

If you are out on the internet looking for a way to grow your business, then that means you need category design in marketing. Category design works for existing companies and those that are still in the planning stage. If you are a new entrepreneur, category design would definitely launch your company to success. If, on the other hand, you are already running a business, here are some signs that category design may work for you:

  • Your product or service is often misunderstood.
  • Competition keeps your company from growing.
  • You have a unique product or service but it does not align with your current category.
  • Your category is in crisis.
  • You want to expand your market.

Wrap Up

It is a great way to position your company for success, but it is no walk in the park. It comes with numerous responsibilities and thus requires hard work, innovation, and fearlessness. If you are ready to take your company to a new level of success, don’t hesitate to talk to us today.