Positioning Statement

What is a Positioning Statement?

A positioning statement is an internal document that defines how you want your brand to be perceived in the minds of your target audience relative to competitors. Unlike a value proposition (which is customer-facing), a positioning statement is typically used internally to guide marketing and product decisions.

The Positioning Statement Formula

A classic positioning statement follows this structure:

For [target audience], [brand] is the [category] that [benefit] because [reason to believe].

Components:

• Target audience: Who you're targeting
• Brand: Your brand name
• Category: The market category you compete in
• Benefit: The primary benefit you provide
• Reason to believe: Proof or evidence supporting your claim

Why Positioning Statements Matter

• Clarity: Provides clear direction for marketing efforts
• Focus: Helps prioritize features and messaging
• Differentiation: Ensures you stand out from competitors
• Consistency: Guides all marketing communications
• Decision-making: Helps make strategic choices

How to Write a Positioning Statement

Step 1: Define Your Target Audience

• Who are your ideal customers?
• What are their needs and pain points?
• What characteristics define them?

Step 2: Identify Your Category

• What market category do you compete in?
• How do customers categorize your offering?
• What alternatives do they consider?

Step 3: Determine Your Benefit

• What primary benefit do you provide?
• What problem do you solve?
• What outcome do customers achieve?

Step 4: Find Your Reason to Believe

• What evidence supports your claim?
• What makes you uniquely qualified?
• What proof points can you provide?

Step 5: Write and Refine

• Write your statement using the formula
• Test it with your team
• Refine based on feedback
• Ensure it's specific and actionable

Positioning Statement Examples

Volvo: "For safety-conscious families, Volvo is the luxury car brand that provides superior safety because of our decades of innovation in automotive safety technology."

Tesla: "For environmentally conscious early adopters, Tesla is the electric vehicle brand that provides sustainable transportation without compromise because of our advanced battery technology and charging infrastructure."

Slack: "For teams seeking better collaboration, Slack is the communication platform that brings all your tools and conversations together because it integrates with the tools you already use."

Positioning vs Positioning Statement

• Positioning: The actual place your brand occupies in customers' minds
• Positioning Statement: The internal document describing where you want to be positioned

Your positioning statement guides your strategy to achieve your desired positioning.

Using Your Positioning Statement

• Marketing strategy: Guide campaign development
• Product development: Inform feature priorities
• Content creation: Ensure messaging aligns with positioning
• Sales enablement: Help sales team communicate consistently
• Brand guidelines: Reference for all brand decisions

Common Mistakes

• Too generic: "We're the best" doesn't differentiate
• Too long: Keep it concise and memorable
• Ignoring competitors: You must understand competitive landscape
• Not customer-focused: Focus on customer needs, not your features
• Not actionable: Should guide real decisions and actions