The key to making a lasting impression on your brand is to be the first to take advantage of the empty space in the minds of potential customers. This requires understanding consumer needs and perceptions and employing effective strategies to establish a unique positioning. There are three ways to preempt a placeholder:
1.Be the first: be the first to enter a certain category or subdivision of a category in the minds of consumers, such as the first person to land on the moon, the first person in space in China, etc.
2.Occupy a feature: Occupy a certain feature or advantage in the minds of consumers, such as Volvo's safety, BMW's handling, etc.
3.Focus on business: Focus your brand business on a specific scenario or target audience in the minds of consumers, such as Red Bull for people who need to refresh their minds, Coca-Cola for happy people, etc.
The principle of preemption is: in the mind, not in the market. This means that even if a brand has a certain share of the market, it will be difficult to gain consumer recognition and loyalty if it fails to establish awareness in the minds of consumers. Therefore, brands need to use communication strategies to embed effective differentiation into consumers' minds and build brand awareness and memory.