positioning-messaging

name	positioning-messaging
description	Crafts a crisp product narrative and competitive differentiators for go-to-market materials. Use when defining or refreshing the product story for marketing and sales.

Positioning & Messaging

Reference

• ID: S-GRO-01
• Category: Growth
• Inputs: ICP document, competitive landscape, product capabilities, customer testimonials
• Outputs: messaging framework document → artifacts/growth/
• Used by: Growth Agent
• Tool scripts: ./tools/artifact/validate.sh

Purpose

Produces a messaging framework that articulates the product narrative, value propositions, and competitive differentiators in language that resonates with the target audience across all go-to-market channels.

Procedure

1. Review the ICP document and positioning statement from Product.
2. Identify the top 3 value propositions the product delivers to the ICP.
3. For each value proposition, write a headline, supporting statement, and proof point.
4. Define the competitive differentiators: what the product does that alternatives cannot.
5. Craft the product narrative arc: problem → failed alternatives → our approach → outcome.
6. Write messaging variants for different channels: website, email, sales deck, social.
7. Define tone and voice guidelines specific to the brand.
8. Test messaging against common buyer objections and refine.
9. Save the messaging framework to artifacts/growth/.
10. Validate the artifact using ./tools/artifact/validate.sh.

Brand Identity Extension

When producing positioning and messaging, extend into full brand identity to ensure consistent brand expression across all touchpoints.

Brand Identity Extension — Steps 8-11 below are Growth/Scale deliverables. At idea/mvp stage, complete Steps 1-7 (core positioning) and run /design-system for visual tokens. Skip brand guidelines, voice documentation, and style guide until you have a designer or reach growth stage.

Step 8: Brand Voice Matrix

Define the brand voice on 4 dimensions with specific examples:

Dimension	Our Position	Do	Don't
Formal <-> Casual	[e.g., "Professional but approachable"]	[Example phrase]	[Counter-example]
Serious <-> Playful	[e.g., "Confident with occasional wit"]	[Example phrase]	[Counter-example]
Respectful <-> Irreverent	[e.g., "Respectful of user time"]	[Example phrase]	[Counter-example]
Matter-of-fact <-> Enthusiastic	[e.g., "Understated confidence"]	[Example phrase]	[Counter-example]

Step 9: Brand Personality Traits

Define 3-5 personality adjectives with behavioral examples:

For each trait, define how the product "acts" across states:

• Success states: How we celebrate with the user
• Error states: How we communicate problems
• Empty states: How we guide toward first action
• Onboarding: How we introduce ourselves
• Loading/waiting: How we fill time

Example:

Trait: Confident — Success: "Done. Your changes are live." (not "Yay! We did it!"). Error: "Something went wrong. Here's what to do." (not "Oops!"). Empty: "Start here." (not "Looks like there's nothing here yet :(").

Step 10: Cross-Platform Brand Harmonization

Define how brand voice adapts (not changes) across touchpoints:

Touchpoint	Voice Adaptation	Formality	Personality Dial
Product UI	Concise, action-oriented	Medium	Trait emphasis: helpful, clear
Marketing site	Benefit-focused, persuasive	Medium-low	Trait emphasis: confident, aspirational
Email	Personal, direct	Low-medium	Trait emphasis: helpful, warm
Social media	Platform-native, conversational	Low	Trait emphasis: witty, engaging
Documentation	Precise, educational	Medium-high	Trait emphasis: clear, thorough
Support	Empathetic, solution-focused	Medium	Trait emphasis: helpful, patient

Step 11: Brand Asset Guidelines

Document brand asset usage rules:

1. Logo usage: Primary mark, icon-only, wordmark-only, minimum size, clear space
2. Color application: Primary, secondary, accent colors + when each is used
3. Typography hierarchy: Display, heading, body, caption with specific fonts/sizes
4. Imagery style: Photography vs illustration vs abstract, mood/tone guidelines
5. Iconography: Style (outlined, filled, duotone), consistent stroke weight, grid alignment

Quality Checklist

• Value propositions are specific and benefit-oriented, not feature-focused
• Differentiators are defensible and evidence-backed
• Narrative arc follows problem → solution → outcome structure
• Channel-specific variants are provided
• Tone and voice are consistent throughout
• Common objections are addressed in the messaging
• Messaging aligns with the ICP document
• Brand voice matrix defines 4 dimensions with do/don't examples
• Brand personality traits have behavioral examples across product states
• Cross-platform harmonization table covers all touchpoints
• Brand asset guidelines cover logo, color, typography, imagery
• Artifact passes validation