/58-positioning-global

name: 58-positioning-global
description: "Use when the user needs to define or sharpen product/brand positioning: a positioning statement built on Promise + Proof + Path, a differentiation matrix against competitors, category entry points, a three-level message hierarchy, and tagline directions. Trigger on 'positioning', 'positioning statement', 'brand positioning', 'differentiation', 'USP', 'why should customers choose us', 'repositioning', or 'brand message'."
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0
  category: strategy
license: MIT
triggers:
  - "positioning"
  - "positioning statement"
  - "brand positioning"
  - "differentiation"
  - "USP"
  - "why should customers choose us"
  - "repositioning"
  - "brand message"
  - "category entry points"
output: "File .md — positioning statement (Promise + Proof + Path), differentiation matrix, category entry points, 3-level message hierarchy, tagline directions"
related:
  - product-marketing-context-global
  - 08-competitor-research-global
  - 09-customer-insight-global
  - 31-offer-design-global
  - 59-go-to-market-global
  - 02-campaign-brief-global

Positioning (Global)

> Positioning is not a pretty tagline. It is an explicit decision: who you serve, what you solve, and who you beat. Sharp positioning gives content an angle, ads a hook, and the team one story. Vague positioning makes everything generic. Run `08-competitor-research-global` and `09-customer-insight-global` first if you do not yet have competitor data and customer insight.

Information gathering

Read `.agents/product-marketing-context-global.md` and the Brand Hub if available. If missing, ask up to 4 questions:

1. **What is the product or service** — what concrete result does the buyer get, at what price, in what category? 2. **Who buys today and why** (ask real customers, do not guess)? What words do they use when they recommend you to someone else? 3. **How are the main competitors positioned** — what is their message, and what are their strengths and weaknesses? 4. **Where are you genuinely better** (with evidence)? Where are you genuinely worse, so you avoid positioning into a weak spot?

Principles

1. **Positioning requires a choice.** You cannot be cheapest, most premium, and fastest at the same time. Pick one lead direction and accept losing the others. 2. **Every claim needs proof.** Differentiation without evidence is a slogan. Buyers do not believe it, and under FTC substantiation rules an advertised claim needs supporting evidence on file before it runs. 3. **Know who you are NOT for.** Naming the segment you do not serve sharpens the message and stops budget waste. 4. **Positioning is stable, messaging is flexible.** Review positioning every 6 months as the market and competitors move. Campaign messaging can change; positioning should not change monthly. 5. **Feature to value to message.** Do not sell the feature ("real-time dashboard"). Convert it to value ("know today whether you are profitable"), then to a message that lands emotionally ("stop finding out at month end that you were losing money").

Workflow

1. Pick a positioning strategy

Six common directions — choose the one your real strengths can defend:

| Strategy | Description | Example message direction | |----------|-------------|---------------------------| | By attribute | Lead on one distinctive property | "The only CRM built for field service teams" | | By price and quality | Premium, or value-for-money | "Agency-grade creative at in-house cost" | | By use case | Own a specific situation | "Built for teams shipping weekly, not quarterly" | | By user | Aim at one narrow buyer | "For solo founders doing their own marketing" | | By category | Category creator or leader | "The first compliance layer for AI agents" | | Against a competitor | Define yourself by contrast | "Not another course. A working system." |

Define your category: narrow enough to win, wide enough to have a market.

2. Write the positioning statement

Two layers, use both:

**Layer 1 — Full statement (internal, used in every brief):**

For [target audience] — people who [specific pain or desire],
[brand/product] is the [category]
that helps them [core outcome],
unlike [competitor or alternative], because [real differentiator].

**Layer 2 — Promise + Proof + Path (for content, sales, and landing pages):**

| Component | Question | Example (DTC skincare) | |-----------|----------|------------------------| | Promise | What do you commit to, based on real customer insight? | "Know exactly what your skin needs before you spend on the wrong products" — not "effective skincare" | | Proof | What evidence shows the promise is real? | Verified before/after photos, dermatologist review, third-party ingredient testing, published pricing with no hidden fees | | Path | What steps does the buyer walk to get the promise? | 1. Free skin quiz > 2. Personal routine > 3. Follow the routine > 4. Reassess at 8 weeks |

The Promise fails if it is generic. The Path fails if the buyer cannot picture the next step.

3. Build the differentiation matrix

Pull data from `08-competitor-research-global`:

| Competitor / Alternative | Their positioning | Strengths | Weaknesses | How you differ (with proof) | |--------------------------|-------------------|-----------|------------|-----------------------------| | Competitor A | | | | | | Competitor B | | | | | | Alternative (DIY or do nothing) | | | | |

Then lock **3 real differentiators** — each a Claim plus its Proof:

| # | Claim | Proof / reason to believe | |---|-------|---------------------------| | 1 | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | |

Primary differentiator: one sentence. This is what every piece of content and every ad will reflect.

Market gap (what nobody does well yet): write it down explicitly so you can take it.

4. Map category entry points

Category entry points are the situations that make a buyer think of the category and start looking. Strong positioning means being rem