Product Positioning Surveys: What Are They and How Do You Conduct Them?

Wondering what a new product positioning survey is? Luckily you’ve come to the right market research blog. 

For the most part, the process for this type of market research stays the same as other methodologies.

What makes product positioning surveys different from others is the sponsoring organization's project objectives.

From there a market research company such as Drive Research designs and executes the methodology to best meet their goals.

In this post, we’ll discuss the definition of a product positioning survey, its benefits, the process, and product positioning survey example questions.

What is a Product Positioning Survey?

First up, what is the definition of a product positioning survey?

A product positioning survey assesses your brand against competitors (usually up to 5 competitors) to compare perception, attributes, benefits, as well as other key performance indicators (KPIs) of interest. 

The goal of the research is to get a better understanding of how the client’s product compares to the key competitors tested.

The Benefits of Conducting Product Positioning Surveys

The most important benefit to conducting a product positioning survey is to get a better understanding of the market landscape and consumers.

Commonly addresses objectives of our market research clients are listed below.

Some of the objectives of a product positioning survey include:

• Identifying who are the primary decision-makers in the market are.
• Identifying what makes primary decision-makers for a product different from the competition.
• Measuring the level of awareness of brands in the market.
• Measuring the perception of brands in the market.
• Measuring the sentiment of brands in the market.
• Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a brand versus the competition.

Looking for more benefits? Here are 6 things about conducting market research your boss wants to know.

The Process of Conducting Product Positioning Surveys with a Third-Party

The process of a product positioning survey follows the same process for most market research studies.

The steps of a market research study include:

1. Proposal: A proposal for product positioning surveys is where the objectives of the study are defined, the research methodology is finalized, and the details about the study are confirmed
2. Kickoff: During a kickoff meeting the research team will confirm the objectives of the study and walk the client through all of the next steps involved with the project.
3. Design: This phase involves designing the research (i.e., survey, in-depth interview guide, moderator’s guide, etc.)
4. Fieldwork: Once the research design phase is completed, the next step is to launch fieldwork. During this phase, researchers will also be running data quality checks to ensure the client is receiving high-quality data.
5. Analysis and reporting: After fieldwork is completed, researchers will then start reviewing the results and preparing the final deliverables.
6. Debrief: Once the final deliverables are sent to the client, the results of the research will be discussed during a debrief meeting. 

Recommended Reading: How Does an Online Survey Project Work with a Third-Party?

Product Positioning Survey Example Questions

Here are a few examples of questions that could be included in a product positioning survey.

Q1. Which of the following factors are most important when deciding to make a [example industry] purchase? Select up to 3. 

1. Example factor 1
2. Example factor 2
3. Example factor 3
4. Example factor 4
5. Example factor 5
6. Other (Please specify)

Q2. Thinking about [example industry], what brand name comes to mind first? Enter your response below.

Q3. Which of the following [example industry] are you aware of? Select all that apply. 

1. Example brand 1
2. Example brand 2
3. Example brand 3
4. Example brand 4
5. Example brand 5
6. Other (Please specify)
7. None of the above

Q4. Based on your knowledge, what is your perception of each of the following? Select a rating for each. 

Q5. Explain why you rated your perception of [insert brand name] as [insert rating]. Enter your response below.

Q6. For each row below, which word or phrase best describes [Example brand 1]? Select one in each row below. [Randomize]

Conduct Product Positioning Surveys with Drive Research

How do your brand and products stand up against competitors? Gather high-quality insights with product position surveys.

Drive Research, a national market research company, accurately measures your product against local and national competitors.

Learn more about our services by contacting our team.

1. Message us on our website
2. Email us at [email protected]
3. Call us at 888-725-DATA
4. Text us at 315-303-2040

Emily Taylor

As a Senior Research Analyst, Emily is approaching a decade of experience in the market research industry and loves to challenge the status quo. She is a certified VoC professional with a passion for storytelling.

Learn more about Emily, here.