Smart Positioning REV's Up Your Marketing

Each Monday, I explore a different aspect of Marketing Strategy. This week? Positioning.

Positioning is how you differentiate yourself in the mind of your prospect. In my opinion, a smart positioning strategy is the single biggest marketing asset your company can have—aside from a strong product or service.

This week’s Houston Business Journal has interesting coverage of a new short-ride taxi venture called REV Houston. The cars are all electric, hence the REV (Ride Electric Vehicles). Initially, they’re transporting fares for tips only—complemented by ad revenue from its fleet signage.

Now I ask you: If you were a a Houston entrepreneur, how would you rate the attractiveness of starting a taxi service? On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 involving an investment scheme with Emus in West Texas, or a PRESSING BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT with that Nigerian Barrister who emailed you and 10 being the fastest, easiest ground floor entrepreneurial victory ever—I’d say no more than a 5 at best.

Fuel costs. Labor issues. Almost 20 competing firms. And they’re pretty much a commodity. But REV has one thing on its side: a great positioning strategy.

From the day it rolled out at the April 13th Discovery Green Park inauguration, REV achieved marketing nirvana: It created a category and owned it.

Houston’s biggest cab company, Yellow Cab, would crush REV like an armadillo when engaged head-on. But REV isn’t going after the same dollar. REV’s audience is the downtown-hopping scuppie (Socially Conscious Upwardly-mobile Person), not the out-of-town lawyer who just needs a lift to the airport.

REV offers the greenest “short-ride taxi” alternative in downtown Houston (discounting, of course walking, riding a bike or public transport—all of which are greener choices but with which Houstonians equate witchcraft and taking away the sun).

REV is even integrating telecom technology; you can hail one via text message. The whole venture has a futuristic feel.

As to the future of this new enterprise: Who knows? Houston is a funny place when it comes to transport. But through aligned operational decisions (electric vehicles) and smart positioning, REV has its marketing in the fast lane. When someone asks what makes them different—they have an answer with traction.