How To Make A Positioning Map In Excel

Introduction

Creating a positioning map in Excel can be a powerful way to visualize the competitive landscape of a market. By plotting products, companies, or brands on a two-axis grid, you can gain insights into how they compare against each other on key attributes.

This process involves gathering data, setting up the Excel spreadsheet, and using chart tools to create the map. While Excel is a common tool for this task, it can be complex and time-consuming to set up properly.

In the following sections, we'll walk through the steps to make a positioning map in Excel and show how Sourcetable's AI chatbot can instantly create and analyze positioning maps through simple conversation, eliminating the need to learn complex Excel functions - try Sourcetable now to create your positioning map in seconds.

Creating a Positioning Map in Excel

Understanding Perceptual Maps

Perceptual maps, also known as positioning maps, are visual tools used to depict consumer perceptions of a brand's image within a marketplace. They are essential in marketing for analyzing competitive positioning. By leveraging a two-axis format, these maps simplify complex data into a clear and impactful visual representation.

Choosing the Right Chart Type

To create a perceptual map in Excel, you can use bubble charts or scatterplot charts. These chart types are effective for displaying the relative positioning of brands based on two dimensions, such as quality and price.

Manual Formatting in Excel

Constructing a perceptual map requires manual formatting in Excel. This involves setting up the axes to reflect the variables you're comparing and formatting the data points to represent different brands or products accurately.

Utilizing Automated Tools

For users of Excel 365, the process of creating perceptual maps can be automated with tools like the free Excel Perceptual Map maker available on Perceptual Maps 4 Marketing. This tool simplifies the creation of perceptual maps, making it accessible to marketing students, analysts, and practitioners alike.

Finalizing the Positioning Map

After plotting the data on the chosen chart type and adjusting the formatting, your perceptual map is complete. It will serve as a powerful visual to inform strategic marketing decisions.

Excel vs Sourcetable: Traditional vs AI-Powered Spreadsheets

While Excel remains the standard spreadsheet software, Sourcetable revolutionizes data analysis with its AI-powered approach. Instead of manually working with functions and features, Sourcetable's conversational AI interface lets you create, analyze, and visualize data through simple chat commands. Whether you're working with uploaded files or connected databases, Sourcetable's AI understands your needs and handles the complex tasks automatically. Try Sourcetable at https://app.sourcetable.com/ to experience the future of spreadsheets.

Natural Language vs Manual Commands

Excel requires users to learn specific functions and syntax, while Sourcetable allows you to express your needs in plain English through its AI chatbot interface.

Data Analysis Approach

Excel demands manual formula creation and step-by-step analysis. Sourcetable's AI automatically performs complex analyses based on your conversational requests.

Visualization Capabilities

Creating charts in Excel involves multiple steps and formatting choices. Sourcetable generates professional visualizations instantly through simple chat commands.

Data Integration

While Excel handles individual files, Sourcetable seamlessly works with files of any size and directly connects to databases, providing unified analysis through AI interaction.

Learning Curve

Excel requires significant time investment to master its features. Sourcetable eliminates the learning curve by translating natural language requests into sophisticated spreadsheet operations.

Conclusion

Creating positioning maps in Excel requires multiple manual steps and technical knowledge. The process involves data organization, chart creation, and careful formatting to achieve professional results.

Modern AI solutions streamline this process. Sourcetable eliminates the complexity of traditional spreadsheet work. Its AI chatbot can guide you through positioning map creation instantly.

Ready to simplify your spreadsheet tasks? Start creating professional positioning maps with Sourcetable today.