| name | marketing-strategy-pmm |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| description | Product marketing skill for positioning, GTM strategy, competitive intelligence, and product launches. Use when the user asks about product positioning, go-to-market planning, competitive analysis, target audience definition, ICP definition, market research, launch plans, or sales enablement. Covers April Dunford positioning, ICP definition, competitive battlecards, launch playbooks, and international market entry. Produces deliverables including positioning statements, battlecard documents, launch plans, and go-to-market strategies. |
| triggers | ["marketing strategy","product marketing","positioning","pmm"] |
When to Use
Use when defining or refining product positioning, building a go-to-market (GTM) plan, running competitive intelligence, defining an ICP, creating sales enablement materials, or planning a product launch. Produces: a positioning statement, ICP profile, GTM plan, battlecards, and a launch checklist. Based on April Dunford's positioning methodology.
Workflow
1. Positioning (April Dunford method)
Answer in order — each answer builds on the last:
- Competitive alternatives: what does the customer do today instead of buying (competitor, workaround, "do nothing")?
- Unique attributes: the 2-3 capabilities/features only you have (or do best).
- Value: the concrete benefit each unique attribute delivers — quantify (time, revenue, risk).
- Proof points: evidence the value is real (case studies, metrics, logos).
- Target market: who feels the pain most acutely.
Positioning statement template:
For {target customer} who {urgent need},
{product} is a {category} that {key benefit}.
Unlike {competitive alternative}, it {unique attribute → value}.
Fill every blank from the five answers; if a blank can't be filled, the work isn't done.
2. ICP Definition
Profile: firmographics (industry, size, revenue, geo), role/title and buying committee, pain points (ranked), triggers (events that start a search: regulation, funding, growth spike), budget range, and "why now". Write a 3-5 sentence narrative plus a one-liner ("VP Marketing at mid-market DTC brands, $10-50M revenue, scaling paid channels"). Validate against 3+ real customers (anonymized, e.g., client-alpha) before building GTM around it.
3. GTM Plan
- Segments: 1-3 ICP segments, prioritized (segment score = pain severity × willingness to pay × reachability).
- Messaging: per segment — value proposition, 3 key messages max, proof points, objection handling.
- Channels: owned (site, email, content), earned (PR, reviews, partnerships), paid (search, social, ABM). One primary + one secondary channel per segment.
- Timeline: T-90/60 build and validate; T-30 assets + sales enablement; T-14 soft launch to waitlist/early access; T-0 launch; T+30/60/90 review gates.
4. Competitive Intelligence (WAR framework)
For each competitor, classify:
- Win: where you win and why (your unique attributes vs their weaknesses).
- Attract: buyers you pull from them (their churn risk, feature gaps, pricing friction).
- Repel: buyers you lose to them (their strengths, your gaps).
Then build the battlecard: competitor profile, their pitch, their weaknesses, your counter-messages, proof points, objection responses, and when to engage/disengage. Refresh quarterly.
5. Sales Enablement Deliverables
- One-pager (positioning statement + 3 proof points + pricing summary).
- Battlecards for the top 3 competitors.
- Demo script mapped to unique attributes → value.
- Objection handling sheet (top 10 objections with responses).
- Case studies / customer stories (anonymized: client-alpha).
- FAQ + competitive comparison table for the sales team.
6. Launch Checklist
Pitfalls
- Positioning by features instead of alternatives — "we have X feature" doesn't tell anyone why to switch.
- Trying to serve every segment; pick one beachhead segment and win it first.
- Messaging that differs between website, sales deck, and ads — one message everywhere.
- Battlecards that list features without the "how to win" angle.
- Launching with no post-launch metrics plan — no review gates means no iteration.
Verification
- Positioning statement passes the "blank test": every field is filled with validated (not assumed) answers.
- ICP validated against at least 3 real customers; sales confirms it matches their best-fit deals.
- GTM plan has a named owner, channel, and dates for every segment.
- Sales team confirms the enablement pack answers their top 10 objections (survey or walkthrough).
- Launch checklist items all checked before the launch date.
