On this information, we’ll describe what a perceptual map is, clarify the way it differs from a positioning map, and overview the varied kinds of perceptual maps. We’ll additionally stroll by way of steps to construct your individual map and supply a perceptual map template that can assist you get began.
Desk of contents
What’s a perceptual map?
In accordance with the dictionary entry that seems while you google the time period, perceptual means “regarding the power to interpret or change into conscious of one thing by way of the senses.” A perceptual map is a visible assist that reveals how shoppers understand a product in comparison with its opponents available in the market. In different phrases, it lays out shoppers’ notion of assorted manufacturers in a product class.
A perceptual map is a diagram that illustrates the place of a product together with its opponents on sure parameters.
Perceptual maps not solely aid you determine the present place of a product, in addition they aid you perceive the place it must be in future. Market researchers and companies analyze perceptual maps to determine aggressive benefits and weaknesses and to chart paths to pursue new alternatives.
Perceptual map vs. positioning map
A perceptual map and a positioning map are usually not the identical factor. Perceptual maps point out how clients understand the varied merchandise in a given class whereas a positioning map evaluates precise options of manufacturers.
Put one other approach: A perceptual map represents the notion of a buyer, which is likely to be proper or fallacious, whereas a positioning map represents actuality.
At a primary look, these maps would possibly look comparable, however they analyze completely different parameters and characterize completely different information.
Kinds of perceptual maps
There are two main kinds of perceptual maps:
Two-dimensional
A two-dimensional perceptual map is the usual sort that’s used most frequently in product administration and advertising and marketing as a result of it’s simple to know and analyze.
Under is an instance of a two-dimensional perceptual map:
Multidimensional
A multidimensional perceptual map has greater than two dimensions for parameters and the manufacturers are plotted in opposition to a number of parameters. These maps are complicated to plot and will be obscure. The advantage of utilizing a multidimensional map is that it could actually present in-depth info relating to the notion of a product with respect to a number of parameters.
Under is an instance of a multidimensional perceptual map:
The instance above is a multidimensional perceptual map for ache drugs plotted in opposition to a number of parameters, together with gentleness, effectiveness, period of effectiveness, suitability for youngsters, and worth.
The map reveals that Motrin is sweet for youngsters and delicate, whereas Excedrin is efficient and long-lasting. The manufacturers are additional bifurcated primarily based on sure parameters, which will be helpful to determine a missing function in an present product or tweak the advertising and marketing technique to steer it towards a specific place.
Why use a perceptual map?
Perceptual maps allow you to investigate what and the way clients take into consideration your product. As such, it’s a essential device for advertising and marketing and product groups.
Particularly, perceptual maps assist product and advertising and marketing groups:
Determine market gaps for brand spanking new merchandise
Perceptual maps characterize manufacturers laid out in opposition to two or extra parameters in keeping with buyer’s notion. If analyzed rigorously, product managers can determine gaps between the shopper calls for and present merchandise.
When viewing the perceptual map from the shopper’s perspective, it’s helpful to concentrate on the gaps indicating unmet market wants. This may jumpstart your analysis on how a brand new product would possibly tackle these wants.
Launch efficient advertising and marketing campaigns
Companies may analyze the efficiency of a latest advertising and marketing marketing campaign or a latest advertising and marketing combine change utilizing perceptual maps. In reality, a perceptual map is a go-to device for making a advertising and marketing technique.
Improve model identification
A perceptual map helps companies perceive what clients take into consideration their product, which is vital to understanding methods to meet their wants by including new options. This perception helps bolster function adoption, buyer satisfaction, and model identification.
Perceive market phase
Lastly, perceptual maps aid you higher perceive the market segments, analyze opponents’ positioning over time, assess the altering wants of shoppers, and observe new merchandise launched to the goal market phase over a time frame.
How do product managers use perceptual maps?
Perceptual maps can assist product managers determine potential new options to enhance the buyer expertise or shift the notion towards the place the enterprise needs it to be. Product managers can analyze competitor merchandise to know what particular options is likely to be contributing to their respective positions.
Along with ideating new options, perceptual maps assist product managers determine alternatives to launch completely new merchandise in an effort to handle clients’ unmet wants.
The best way to construct a perceptual map
It’s at all times finest to do market analysis and get an understanding of your product and the opponents within the goal market phase. You possibly can conduct a buyer survey with questions centered on the parameters that you simply need to analyze. Based mostly on the solutions, you may plot the manufacturers in opposition to the chosen parameters.
Let’s stroll by way of the method of constructing a perceptual map step-by-step:
1. Select your parameters
To start with, it’s essential select the parameters {that a} buyer would possibly contemplate whereas shopping for your product. The parameters should be related to the goal phase and what you are promoting goals.
Think about conducting a market survey centered on the parameters that you simply need to find out about. A spotlight group or an intensive secondary market analysis may aid you to know the potential parameters for plotting the perceptual map.
Parameters that you should utilize to plot a map embrace (however are usually not restricted to):
- Value
- High quality
- Customer support
- Financial system
- Comfort
- Design
One other essential side to contemplate is the shopper ache factors. Take into consideration how your product is attracting clients and what would possibly lead them to decide on a competitor product. Selecting industry-relevant parameters rigorously primarily based on the shopper ache factors and enterprise goals is useful in placing collectively an correct perceptual map.
Think about the quick trend market, for instance. There are numerous parameters to contemplate when evaluating manufacturers, similar to high quality, trendiness, worth and many others.
For the plotting of our instance perceptual map, I’ve chosen high quality and worth as the 2 parameters. I need to perceive how clients understand completely different manufacturers by way of worth and high quality within the quick trend class.
2. Determine your opponents
The subsequent step is to determine your opponents. Give you not less than seven to 10 manufacturers to plot on the perceptual map alongside along with your product.
To finalize this record, you may both ask clients to call different merchandise throughout the focus group or brainstorm along with your crew. Secondary analysis may aid you determine an inventory of opponents which you could additional confirm utilizing focus group research.
Operating a aggressive evaluation can assist you perceive your direct and oblique opponents and their strengths and weaknesses in comparison with yours.
Understanding your target market intimately and realizing all of your product companies, goal market, and advertising and marketing methods is useful when conducting a aggressive evaluation. A aggressive evaluation is usually a time-consuming course of, however it’s pivotal to figuring out your most important opponents — which makes the method of making a perceptual map a lot simpler.
Going again to our quick trend instance, we’d contemplate different main world quick trend manufacturers, similar to H&M, Zara, Uniqlo, Hole, Outdated Navy, Without end 21, Shein, and Mango.
3. Create a perceptual map
After getting chosen the parameters and an inventory of opponents, choose the 2 most related parameters and begin plotting your opponents on a two-dimensional map.
Place all of the opponents first on the map, then put your product on the map final. It will power you to investigate the aggressive panorama earlier than you add your product onto the map.
You probably have performed a market survey, the subsequent step is to outline the rating for every model from 1–9.
Let’s have a look at cell phones for an instance. We will assume the parameters we need to contemplate are worth (low–excessive) and high quality (low–excessive). Create a survey centered on how customers understand the model on a scale of 1–9 and chart out the ends in a desk. Then, create the perceptual map primarily based on the parameter values for every model on a two-dimensional scale.
On this case, high quality will be x-axis with values from 1–9 and worth will be plotted on y-axis with the bottom worth on the backside and the very best on the high:
| # | Model Names | High quality | Value |
|
1 |
H&M |
5.5 |
3 |
|
2 |
GAP |
8 |
9 |
|
3 |
Outdated Navy |
7 |
7 |
|
4 |
Zara |
7 |
8 |
|
5 |
Uniqlo |
6 |
7 |
|
6 |
Without end 21 |
5 |
4 |
|
7 |
Shein |
1 |
1 |
|
8 |
Mango |
5 |
7 |
After plotting the manufacturers within the bubble chart, the perceptual map appears to be like like this:
4. Distribute your map
Share your map with stakeholders to get their opinion in regards to the product’s notion among the many clients. It is a nice strategy to have interaction key stakeholders and begin a dialogue on the place the product at present is and the place the corporate wants it to be. Based mostly on this, you would possibly contemplate altering the advertising and marketing technique to steer the product’s place towards the objective.
The true worth of a perceptual map lies in evaluating the place of the model over a time frame after launching advertising and marketing campaigns or altering the advertising and marketing technique. Over time, new merchandise are added to the market and market demand can change. This makes it much more essential to investigate the perceptual map over a time frame.
Be sure you replace your perceptual map if there are any outstanding modifications, similar to a market shift, the introduction of latest merchandise, and many others. You must then share the up to date perceptual map with the important thing stakeholders.
Perceptual map template
Click on right here to entry a free perceptual map template that you should utilize as a place to begin to create your individual perceptual map. Comply with the steps outlined above to generate a perceptual map with your individual information collected by way of focus teams and/or surveys.
LogRocket generates product insights that result in significant motion
LogRocket identifies friction factors within the consumer expertise so you can also make knowledgeable choices about product and design modifications that should occur to hit your targets.
With LogRocket, you may perceive the scope of the problems affecting your product and prioritize the modifications that should be made. LogRocket simplifies workflows by permitting Engineering and Design groups to work from the identical information as you, eliminating any confusion about what must be finished.
Get your groups on the identical web page — strive LogRocket right now.
