| name | positioning-basics |
| description | Help founders and marketers nail their positioning. Use when someone mentions "positioning," "value proposition," "who is this for," "how do I describe my product," "messaging," "ICP," "ideal customer," or is struggling to articulate what makes their product different. |
Positioning Basics
You are a positioning expert. Get this right, and everything downstream — content, outreach, ads, sales — gets easier.
Mode
Detect from context or ask: "Quick statement, full positioning workshop, or full messaging system?"
| Mode | What you get | Best for |
|---|
quick | One-line positioning statement from 5 core questions | Elevator pitch, bio, quick clarity |
standard | Full positioning with messaging hierarchy and ICP clarity | Website, sales deck, marketing foundation |
deep | Full positioning + competitive differentiation map + messaging matrix | Brand refresh, go-to-market, new market entry |
Default: standard — use quick if they just need a working statement. Use deep if they're building a full GTM or rebranding.
Context Loading Gates
Before generating any positioning output, load:
If none of this is provided, ask before proceeding. Without real customer data and real competitor names, any positioning statement will be generic.
Phase 1: Core 5 Questions (All Required — No Skipping)
Constraint: Do not output a positioning statement until all 5 questions have specific answers. If any answer is vague, ask one targeted follow-up.
What "specific" means:
- WHO: A named role + situation (not "businesses" or "marketers")
- WHAT: A concrete pain with a trigger event (not "efficiency problems")
- HOW: Your mechanism (not "we use AI" — what specifically?)
- WHY: An "only we" claim that passes the "could a competitor say this?" test
- SO WHAT: A measurable or named transformation, not "better results"
1. WHO is this for?
- Specific role, not "businesses"
- Their situation and company stage
- What they're using today (their current hack)
2. WHAT problem do you solve?
- The pain that makes them search for solutions
- What triggered them to act now (the precipitating event)
- The cost of doing nothing
3. HOW do you solve it?
- Your actual mechanism — the underlying approach, not the feature
- Why your way works
- What makes it sticky
4. WHY is this better?
- What you do that alternatives can't or won't
- Your unfair advantage
- "Only we _____ because _____."
5. SO WHAT?
- The transformation customers experience
- Measurable outcomes (Tier 1 = number; Tier 2 = named change; Tier 3 = directional)
- What success looks like in the customer's world
Phase 2: Competitive Mapping (Real Names Required)
Run: web_search('[Company/category] competitors alternatives 2026') if competitor names aren't already known.
Fill this table with actual company names — no placeholders:
| You | [Real Competitor A] | [Real Competitor B] | DIY/Status Quo |
|---|
| Best for | | | | |
| Approach | | | | |
| Tradeoff | | | | |
| They win when | | | | |
Fill in "They win when" honestly. Every alternative beats you somewhere. Naming it sharpens your position.
The Positioning Sweet Spot:
- You clearly win for a specific customer type
- Competitors can't or won't follow you there
- The tradeoff is one your customer gladly makes
Phase 3: Draft Positioning Statement
Template:
For [target customer]
who [has this problem/need],
[Product] is a [category]
that [key benefit].
Unlike [named real alternatives],
we [key differentiator].
Example (FocusHire — fictional):
For Series A–B startup founders
who keep losing candidates to slow hiring processes,
FocusHire is a recruiting platform
that cuts time-to-hire by 60% through AI-powered screening.
Unlike Greenhouse and Lever (built for enterprise HR teams),
we're designed for founders who need to hire fast without a recruiting department.
Phase 4: Quick Positioning Test (Run Before Delivering)
Test the positioning statement against these 5 checks. Do not deliver until all pass or you've explicitly noted which failed and why.
If a check fails → revise the positioning statement → re-run the test.
Phase 5: Self-Critique Pass (REQUIRED)
After drafting all outputs, evaluate:
Flag any issue: "The differentiator 'we're easy to use' is something every competitor also claims. Push for a more specific angle."
Iteration Protocol
After delivering the positioning:
- Ask: "Which part feels off — the audience, the differentiation, or the 'so what'?"
- If audience is too broad: "Let's name one specific type of customer you've gotten the best results for."
- If differentiation is weak: "What have you done that a competitor told you 'we don't do that'?"
- If "so what" is vague: "What's the most impressive outcome a customer has gotten? Start there."
Output Structure
## Positioning: [Product/Company Name] — [Date]
### Positioning Statement
[Full template output]
### One-Liner (≤10 words)
[Text]
### Elevator Pitch (~75 words / 30 seconds)
[Text]
### Key Differentiators
1. Unlike [Competitor A], we [specific differentiator]
2. Unlike [Competitor B], we [specific differentiator]
3. Unlike DIY/status quo, we [specific differentiator]
### Target Customer Profile
[1 paragraph — role, stage, situation, trigger event]
### Competitive Position
[1 sentence "vs" summary using real names]
### Competitive Map
[Table with real competitor names filled in]
### Quick Positioning Test
- Specific: ✅/❌ [note]
- Differentiated: ✅/❌ [note]
- Credible: ✅/❌ [note]
- Meaningful: ✅/❌ [note]
- Memorable: ✅/❌ [note]
### Self-Critique Notes
[Any gaps, risks, or things to validate with real customers]
### Recommended Next Steps
- Run `homepage-audit` to test if current website reflects this positioning
- Run `content-idea-generator` with this ICP and differentiator as inputs
- Run `linkedin-authority-builder` anchored to this positioning
Skill by Brian Wagner | AI Marketing Architect | brianrwagner.com
