Every business owner and marketer faces a critical question at some stage in their career—what do you do when your product or service stops exciting your audience? Over time, once-thriving offerings can lose their spark. Whether the market changes, competitors take the lead, or the novelty simply fades, it can feel like the walls are closing in.

But here’s the thing—your product isn’t necessarily the problem. The way people think about it is.

This is where the power of repositioning comes in. Repositioning isn’t about reinventing the wheel; it’s about reframing the conversation. It’s about changing how your audience perceives your product or service to make it relevant, fresh, and exciting once again.

Not sure how this works in practice? Don't worry. You'll leave this article with actionable ideas on how to breathe fresh life into your marketing efforts, inspired by legendary insights from Dan Kennedy.

What Is Repositioning in Marketing?

Repositioning is the art of reshaping how your target audience thinks about your brand, product, service, or message to adapt to their current needs and desires. It’s not about changing the what—it’s about changing the why.

Consider this example from Apple. Before the iPhone, mobile phones were practical—nothing more than tools to make calls or send text messages. When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, he didn't just sell another phone. He repositioned it as a multi-functional tool you couldn’t live without—a pocket-sized computer, camera, gaming console, and entertainment hub. This shift ignited a revolution in mobile technology.

Repositioning takes what you already have and makes people view it differently. It sparks excitement by showing your product or service in a completely new light.

Why Repositioning Is the Key to Marketing Survival

No product can ride the wave of popularity forever without evolving. Consumer tastes change. Market environments shift. Competitors innovate. What worked yesterday won’t always work tomorrow.

Dan Kennedy argues that the problem most brands face isn’t that their products become irrelevant—it’s that their marketing does. Successful repositioning can revive demand, reignite customer enthusiasm, and give your brand a competitive edge.

Here are three benefits of repositioning your marketing strategy:

• Revives interest in a tired offering

Reintroduces your product to an audience that might have dismissed or forgotten it.

• Stays aligned with changing consumer needs

Ensures that your brand stays relevant as preferences shift.

• Opens opportunities for differentiation

Makes your product stand out in a sea of similar offerings.

Whether you’re evolving with new trends or re-framing your message to spark conversation, repositioning ensures you aren’t tied to a single perspective or strategy.

How to Successfully Reposition Your Marketing

If you’re ready to reposition your product or service, follow these proven steps inspired by both Dan Kennedy’s insights and iconic examples from brands that have succeeded.

1. Reevaluate Your Target Market

The first step in repositioning is understanding who your audience is—and how their preferences have evolved. Ask yourself questions like:

• Who is using my product now versus when the business first launched?

• What challenges is my target audience facing that my product can solve today?

Conduct surveys, analyze buying behaviors, and dig deep into your audience’s emotional triggers. The better you know your market, the more effectively you can reposition to meet their needs.

2. Reframe the Problem You're Solving

The magic of repositioning often lies in reframing your product’s solution. Take Subway as an example. For years, it was just another sandwich chain—until it shifted its messaging to focus on being a weight-loss solution.

Suddenly, Subway wasn’t about fast food; it was about healthier fast food. Customers started seeing their sub as part of a diet plan rather than just a meal.

Ask yourself this question for your own product or service—what other pressing problem could my offering solve?

3. Focus on the Emotional Outcome

People make buying decisions emotionally first, then justify them rationally. For example, Apple rarely sells its products based on technical specs. Instead, its marketing tugs at emotional strings—bringing creativity, connection, and joy to life.

Repositioning your marketing to deliver an emotional promise can elevate your messaging and make people connect deeply with what you're offering.

4. Leverage Success Stories

Nothing builds trust faster than compelling success stories or testimonials. Show how others have benefited from your product after repositioning it.

For instance, consider sharing a narrative about how a client almost gave up on a product but rediscovered its potential after viewing it from a fresh perspective. Authentic examples like these provide tangible proof that repositioning works.

5. Test and Iterate Your Message

Repositioning is an ongoing process. Test out different messages and angles, analyze the response, and refine your approach until you hit the sweet spot. Start small—a website landing page, a social media campaign, or even a one-off email—and use performance metrics (conversions, clicks, or sales) to measure what works best.

6. Align with Broader Trends

Stay in tune with bigger movements in consumer behavior and culture. Trends don’t dictate everything, but by being in tune with them, you can tie your messaging to the moments people care most about.

For example, as sustainable living became a major focus, brands like Patagonia repositioned themselves as champions of environmentalism. This move didn’t just align their branding with the zeitgeist—it gave them a defining position in their market.

Examples of Repositioning in Action

Subway's Diet Revolution

What began as just another fast-food option evolved into a “healthier” way to enjoy fast food. By focusing on weight-loss-friendly imagery and customer success stories, Subway paved its way into diet culture.

Climate Change Messaging

The environmental movement, for decades, struggled with branding. “Global cooling” failed. “Global warming” sparked skepticism. Finally, “climate change” offered a broader, more comprehensive repositioning of the same problem—and inspired worldwide buy-in.

Apple's iPhone

The success wasn’t just in the product—other companies were making mobile phones. Apple succeeded because it repositioned the phone as a multi-purpose lifestyle tool.

Is It Time to Reposition Your Marketing?

If your marketing isn’t generating the buzz or conversions it used to, it may be time to rethink your approach. Repositioning doesn’t mean starting all over. It’s a strategic shift in how you present value to your audience.

And if you’re unsure where to begin? You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

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Your marketing deserves a fresh perspective. Are you ready?

Disclosure: I am an independent Magnetic Marketing Affiliate, not an employee. I receive referral payments from Magnetic Marketing. The opinions expressed here are my own and are not official statements of Magnetic Marketing or its parent company, Etison LLC.