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Tim Williams

Positioning for Professionals: How Professional Knowledge Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success Hardcover – August 9, 2010

by Tim Williams (Author)

36 ratings

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It's not the best companies that prevail in the marketplace, but rather the best brands. The goal of business strategy is not just to be better, but different. Learn how to build a differentiating value proposition by clearly and carefully defining your brand boundaries: Calling, Competencies, Customers, and Culture.

Positioning for Professionals shows how a well-defined value proposition can help professional service firms create their own success instead of copying the success of others, including such concepts as:

- How and why professional service brands become homogenized

- Why standing for everything is the same as standing for nothing

- Why there's no such thing as full service

- Deep and narrow as a strategic imperative

- Why it's better to be a profit leader than a market leader

- Differentiation and price premiums

- How to map your brand on the matrix of relevance and differentiation

- How to define a value proposition that will make your firm intensely appealing to the customers who want you for what you do best

Based on the proven premise that the most profitable business strategy is not to aim at the center of the market, but rather at the edges, Positioning for Professionals is written for leaders, managers, and other senior executives of service companies in with a particular emphasis on professional service firms.

Print length

208 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Wiley
Publication date

August 9, 2010
Dimensions

6.1 x 0.76 x 9.1 inches
ISBN-10

0470587156
ISBN-13

978-0470587157
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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

POSITIONING FOR PROFESSIONALS

How Professional Knowledge Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success

In the last twenty years, no marketing concept has captured the collective business imagination more than "branding." While many professional service firms are in the business of helping their clients build a stronger brand, they seldom pay the same kind of attention to developing their own brand. As Positioning for Professionals reveals, it's all about differentiation. Filled with proven insights and valuable differentiation strategies, this visionary book takes a step back to examine how your professional firm can make the transition from being a "recognized name" to becoming a highly focused brand—and why a stronger brand means stronger profits.

Marketing and advertising thought leader Tim Williams reveals how developing a well-defined positioning strategy can help your firm earn a more powerful reputation in the marketplace. Take a look inside for world-class guidance on:

Why building a successful brand means going against your instincts
Foregoing best practices for "next practices"
Why there's no such thing as "full service" or a "general market"
Why copying competitors' strategies doesn't work …
…and why differentiating does—with big results

Destined to become the desktop brand development and business strategy companion you will turn to again and again, Positioning for Professionals offers you powerful, insightful ideas for positioning your firm for maximum market success.

From the Back Cover

Better isn't always better.

Different is better.

"Most managers invest their time and energy in trying to make their firms better, when in fact they should also be working to make their firms different."
—From Positioning for Professionals

Why are some professional service firms so much more successful than their competitors? The difference isn't just talent, but focus. The best firms know that standing for everything is the same as standing for nothing. Instead of trying to be good at everything, they do what they do best and find resources for the rest.

Destined to become the positioning strategy companion you'll turn to again and again, Positioning for Professionals offers executives of professional service firms proven strategies for positioning their firms for maximum success in the marketplace.

Drawn from his decades of work in the advertising and marketing fields, thought leader Tim Williams helps you develop a differentiating value proposition with valuable insights on:

Why it's better to be a profit leader than a market leader
How to overcome your natural fear of focus
Making your firm hard to imitate
Out-of-the-ordinary ways to differentiate your firm from the "sea of sameness"
Why every company is a brand, like it or not…
…and why every single business decision you make affects the success and reputation of your brand

It's no coincidence that a handful of top firms keep winning the most business, attract the best talent, and earn the highest margins. They're the ones that have staked out a differentiating positioning strategy that capitalizes on their strengths. Rather than being mildly appealing to a broad group of prospects, they're intensely appealing to a select group of prospects. They're the firms that follow the valuable principles you'll find in this book.

GET POSITIONING FOR PROFESSIONALS TODAY AND PUT ITS WINNING IDEAS TO WORK FOR YOUR FIRM.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wiley; 1st edition (August 9, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0470587156
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0470587157
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 0.76 x 9.1 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #928,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #151 in Product Management

Customer Reviews:
36 ratings

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About the author

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Tim Williams

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Tim Williams is a career marketing professional whose mission is to help professional service firms escape the tyranny of an unfocused business model. As a globally-recognized expert in the areas of business strategy and pricing methodologies, Tim is a noted author, international speaker, and presenter for business organizations worldwide. Based on his experience in positioning and pricing, Tim has been interviewed by organizations like The Economist, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Bloomberg News, The Guardian, Toronto Globe & Mail, Japan's Nikkei News, and numerous business publications ranging from Europe to Australia.

He is the author of two books, writes the popular blog “Propulsion” and serves as a LinkedIn Influencer (www.linkedin.com/influencer/2042198-Tim-Williams). On Slideshare, Tim's presentations rank in the top 1% in global viewership. As the founder of Ignition Consulting Group (www.ignitiongroup.com), Tim has worked with hundreds of firms ranging from mid-size independents to multinational networks and global holding companies.

Customer reviews

5 star		68%
4 star		9%
3 star		12%
2 star		6%
1 star		6%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Superb Book to Discover Your Niche and Position Your Business

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2021

Verified Purchase

I keep this on my main list of “must-read books” as it really focuses on finding your niche and core brand. It’s meant for boutique services businesses, rather than large-scale ones, but the key principles and questions can easily apply to many businesses. Williams really does keep stressing to find your unique market positioning and niche. Also, his model about selling and pricing for value, as opposed to hourly, makes a lot of sense for the business and the customer.

Definitely take the time to read this book and apply the fundamental, yet necessary insights. You will see great benefit.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

interesting premise; could use more relevant detail

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2014

Verified Purchase

I found the book's premise to be very insightful, but found myself wanting more detail. The explanations supporting the premise left me uninspired, with nothing tangible to take away.

Conversely, the section at the end on value pricing was an exception to my opinion. It was thought provoking and gave some good ideas on the obstacles to making the desired change, and how to address and overcome them.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

D. Linabury

An industry must-read

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2015

Verified Purchase

I've been in advertising for over 25 years including 22 years just in digital, I've worn almost every hat in digital, been the EVP of Digital of a national agency and thought I had a great grasp on positioning. I learned a TON from is book. It should be required reading for all C-Levels.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

HSV CPA

Asks some thought provoking questions

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2019

Verified Purchase

A good read. With a background in marketing, the author explains the business strategy behind differentiating your brand. Offers thought provoking questions to help you think it through.

Helpful

Interesting but scattered

Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2018

Verified Purchase

Some interesting points, but it seemed to lack structure. Subsection after subsection. However, good insights on focus and pricing which I will look to apply immediately!

Helpful

Morrie

Theory Predict the Future

Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2011

Verified Purchase

On page 76 of this book, the author stated "only a theory predict the future". Also he stated that the well-constructed theory of the future based on an understanding of what happens to a brand, market, or customer under various sets of circumstances is the bases of value proposition.

There are many questions in the above sentences. The author should clearly define the theory and differences in theory and assessment. In addition, he should explain the various sets of circumstances because some sets of circumstances are not predictable. I agree with the author that it is important to have who you wish to be but my wish may create a tinted glasses to see the predictability and my value proposition.

I like to see a case study in this title.
morrie

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kindle Customers beas kindle

must read for brand marketers

Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2013

Verified Purchase

this is a must-read for brand marketers for both themselves and their clients. the principles are the same but often professional service firm fail to apply the same rigor to their own business that they demand of and and even ridicule their clients for not applying or knowing.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Gregory L

Very good for knowledge firms!

Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2019

Verified Purchase

Very good for knowledge firms!

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

MediationNotWar

This book's central message is a wake-up call for many professionals.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2012

Verified Purchase

I'm in the throes of setting up my own law indusrty business as a no-court divorce specialist. It's an uber-niche market, and one in which I am going to be one of only 5 or 6 suppliers around the UK. I was drawn to this book because it's central message is - it's not good enough just to be better, you need to be different. Since that has basically how I have been approaching my work for the past 7 years, the book was a complete validation of my business plan.

Don't read the book if you want validation for your horizontal, full-service offer approach. Do read it if you want to offer something different and need a bit of encouragement before taking the step.

3 people found this helpful

A. Muir Wood

Useful book, but riddled with typos

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2018

Verified Purchase

I have found this book useful for stepping through the process of building a focused consulting service offering. There are great, actionable exercises from chapter 5 onwards.

However, there is a typo on practically every 3rd page, which makes it hard to take seriously for the price and publisher.

Proof-reading is clearly not a core competence of your editors, Tim. But I’d love to see a second Edition with fresher case studies and better editing.

2 people found this helpful

Julie Clare

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 24, 2015

Verified Purchase

Don't just read this book - act on it!

Federico Tomassetti

Vague, not actionable, very limited value

Reviewed in Italy on April 5, 2021

Verified Purchase

The book contains some vague and obvious ideas about positioning, with nothing specific to professional services.
There are no suggestions, no actionable advices. If you never heard about the concept of positioning you could perhaps find some limited value in the book, however you can learn that much reading an article online.
Basically all examples refer to marketing agencies.

I would suggest to read any other book on positioning.

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