The best companies know they have to own a unique place in the hearts and minds of their consumers. In simple terms, this is positioning.

You can leverage a number of vectors including relevance, clarity, distinctiveness, and a whole lot more. But you cannot be all things to all people. Remember, this is about standing out in the hearts and minds of the people who have a chance of caring about your brand.

In his book, Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely tells the story of Salvador Assael who, through a series of trades, ended up with a collection of black pearls in a day when everyone wore white pearls.

You might think the fact that they were different would do the trick. It didn't, any more than a black t-shirt is exponentially better than a white t-shirt.

Assael teamed up with Harry Winston who crafted the black pearls into luscious pieces of jewelry with premium pricing. Now, the product had exclusivity, a connection to a superior brand and a price tag to match all the glitz and glitter. Soon, black pearls were a necessary item in any reputable jewelry case.

Trying to sell black pearls didn't work. Positioning them as exclusive alternatives did.