Book: 20251117 to 20260105, "Positioning" by AL Ries and Jack Trout

20251117 - Introduction

Positioning is the first body of thought that comes to grips with the difficult problem of getting heard in our overcommunicated society. p3

Feels like "identity" to individual person.

20251118 - Chapter 1. What Positioning Is All About.

In general, the mind accepts only that which matches prior knowledge or experience. p6

It's always like this. Only small percentage of people are sensitive, and are willing to change their perception of the world.

People can understand and accept radio-controlled autonomous cars, but not AI controlled cars.

By turning the process around, by focusing on the prospect rather than the product, you simplify the selection process. p9

20251118 - Chapter 2. The Assault on the Mind.

How to handle the overcommunicated society? Let AI to handle it?

Only if AI never tell lies.

20251119 - Chapter 3. Getting Into the Mind.

From the product era to the image era, then to the positioning era. p24

Can I go back to the product era?

One prime objective of all advertising is to heighten expectations. To create the illusion that the product or service will perform the miracles you expect. p30

Hypnosis?

20251120 - Chapter 4. Those Little Ladders in Your Head.

Yet too many companies embark on marketing and advertising programs as if the competitor's position did not exist. p32

Advertising is not about giving the information to the propsects, but changing the product ladders in their mind.

20251120 - Chapter 5. You Can't Get There From Here.

A company stuck with a losing position is not going to benefit much from hard work. p41

How do we know that it is a losing position? How do we know that we just need to work harder?

In matural industry, the leader company is optimized to keep its advantage. As it has enough resources and customers, other companies are very hard to catch up.

But AMD caught up with Intel. The exceptions are always there.

20251121 - Chapter 6. Positioning of a Leader.

It takes 110 percent of rated power for a jet to get its wheels off the ground. Yet when it reaches 30,000 feet, the pilot can throttle back to 70 percent of power and still cruise at 600 miles per hour. p45

This explains why it's so difficult to challengers.

It also tells us why positioning well is so important even to our lives.

Correct choices + hard work = good positioning.

This means a leader should swallow his or her pride and adopt every new product development as soon as it shows signs of promise. p47

Lose small reguarly, and win big occasionally.

20251205 - Chapter 7. Positioning of a Follower. - 53

Don't try to trick the prospect. Advertising is not a debate. It's a seduction. p60

20251205 - Chapter 8. Repositioning the Competition.

This book is amazing. It teaches us how to spot an advertising scam.

And, we can use the same trick to get a job: figure out what the employer want, then ingrain the illusion that they want into their mind!

20251205 - Chapter 9. The Power of the Name.

20251206 - Chapter 10. The No-Name Trap.

Positioning is like the game of life. A long-term proposition. Name decisions made today may not bear fruit until many, many years in the future. p89

Feel like "identity" of individual. It has only long-term effect, but powerful.

20251205 - Chapter 11. The Free-Ride Trap.

Always keeping in mind that the objective isnot publicity or communication for its  own sake, but publicity to achieve a position in the prospect's mind. p100

20251214 - Chapter 12. The Line-Extension Trap. - p101

20251215 - Chapter 13. When Line Extension Can Work.

Expected volume, competition, advertising support, significance, distribution. p125

All make sense.

20251216 - Chapter 14. Positioning a Company: Xerox.

Laser related products?

It should be something help to improve automation.

Automation is everything.

20251216 - Chapter 15. Positioning a Country: Belgium.

20251216 - Chapter 16. Positioning an Island: Jamaica.

20251217 - Chapter 17. Positioning a Product: Milk Duds.

It's all about imagination.

Some collectible worth a lot, because they give people imagination.

How about Bitcoin and gold?

20260102 - Chapter 18. Positioning a Service: Mailgram. - p153

Low Price is the number one factor!

20260103 - Chapter 19. Positioning a Long Island Bank.

Conventional wisdom is not positioning thinking. Positioning theory says you must start with what the prospect is already willing to give you. p163

20260103 - Chapter 20. Positioning a New Jersey Bank.

20260103 - Chapter 21. Positioning a Ski Resort: Stowe.

"We put up a sign on the road, Delaware Closed Today," reported Mr. Funt. "Motorists didn't question it. Instead they asked, 'Is Jersey open?'" p175

Most people don't think using system 2 most of the time. That's dangerous.

20260103 - Chapter 22. Positioning the Catholic Church.

From "teacher of the law" to "teacher of the word." p181

Good idea!

20260103 - Chapter 23. Positioning Yourself and Your Career.

Anything worthwhile doing is worthwhile doing lousy. p184

Or else, the threshold is too low, and new comers can easily join the competitions.

And don't forget that soft services of all types are growing at a much faster rate than hard products. p187

It's true before, but doesn't work in AI age.

20260104 - Chapter 24. Positioning Your Business.

Positioning is thinking in reverse. Instead of starting with yourself, you start with the mind of the prospect. p193

20260105 - Chapter 25. Playing the Positioning Game.

The secret to establishing a successful position is to keep two things in balance: (1) A unique position with (2) an appeal that's not too narrow. p208

It is usually better to look for smaller targets that you can own exclusively rather than a bigger market you have to share with three or four other brands. p208