Nmblr Edge Step 1: White space
Purpose of this step: Establishing the white space means mapping out where competitors are positioned in the minds of customers, then identifying the open territory — those unmet needs or aspirations — where your brand can uniquely stand out and win.
Instructions for 'Establishing the White Space'
1. Define the Competitive Set
- Decide which competitors are most relevant to your positioning challenge. These are the brands or offerings you want to compare yourself against or differentiate from.
- Use the Edit icon to update the competitor list.
2. Build an Empathy Map for Each Competitor
- For each selected competitor, the team should add their thoughts on how key stakeholders perceive and experience them. Specifically, this involves capturing what key stakeholders are seeing and hearing from the competitor, how they think and feel about the competitor and what they end up saying and doing in relation to the competitor.
3. Synthesise and Debate Associations
- As a team, discuss and finalise what each competitor is most strongly known for in the minds of customers on the right hand side of the page. Use your answers to the questions provided, as the basis for this decision. Invite team members to vote for the associations they perceive as the strongest, which may help with prioritisation. Capture both positive and negative associations.
4. Identify the Gaps
- Look for patterns and gaps: Where are customer needs not being addressed? Where is no competitor strongly positioned? These gaps are your potential white space and should be reflected in the ‘insights’ that you choose to use in the next step.