Literature/202603010905 defining positioning

• Source: [[@ghanadan2025Not Buying It: The Art of Selling to Scientists, Doctors, and Other Professional Skeptics]]
• Tags: #value-proposition #value-generation #sales

Once the segments are clear (202603010904 Properly segmenting the market) we have to find a way of developing a Value proposition that offers clear positioning for each group.

Positioning consists of 3 things: - Formal positioning statement, which is rigorous and should contain all the relevant information that describes how the offering is situated in the marketplace. - Value proposition, is the central statement that describes the value of an offering to an audience. - Core claims to value, are supporting proof-points that substantiate the value proposition.

Formal positioning statement

For (audience) Who need (independent of the offering), The (offering name and category), provides (benefit), Unlike (competitive forces), offering (is different in a unique way).

Marketing and sales efforts based on a deep understanding of the audience's needs will be much more effective than company-centric and self-serving efforts. Technical professionals recognize and reward this effort with their attention and engagement.

Category design means creating a category based on a new offering. However, this is normally much more difficult than using well defined categories.

Benefits are the answers to the audience's pains.

Competitive forces are so much more than direct competing products. It is workflows, alternative protocols, etc.

Differentiator, what makes the offering unique. There has to be something that allows to distinguish this product from the others. It's more art than science.

Value proposition

We are the only [X] that solves [Y] in a unique [Z] way.

The value proposition should guide the audience to form a hypothesis for themselves about how to satisfy their need.

Core claims to value

Supporting proof points that validate your value proposition. They are not raw specs, but explanations, connecting product features to audience benefit.