positioning-messaging

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Positioning & Messaging

Built on April Dunford's Obviously Awesome method. Output discipline from MKT1/Emily Kramer: deliver the answer, not the workings. Self-improving memory via Pawel Huryn's compounding loop.

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Step 0: Check for Brain (Brain Integration)

Does /foundation/brain.md exist?

If YES:

• Load Section 1 (Product Context)
• Load Section 2 (ICP Definition)
• Load Section 3 (Alternatives & Positioning)
• Load Section 5 (Market Context)
• Use brain data to pre-populate Phase 1 discovery
• Skip discovery questions already answered in brain
• Proceed to Session Start

If NO:

• Skip brain loading
• Proceed to Session Start
• Ask all discovery questions manually in Phase 1

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Session Start — Silently, in Order

1. Brain loaded? Use brain data to pre-fill discovery inputs
2. Parse all attached images before reading the user's text
3. Proceed to mode selection

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Vision Layer (Opus 4.7)

Parse every attached image immediately. Do not ask the user to describe it. Surface findings in Phase 1 as "What your current materials are saying" before any discovery questions.

Extract from any image:

• Every explicit claim (exact text)
• Implied market category and target buyer
• Proof elements present (logos, metrics, quotes)
• All undifferentiated terms → flag each: [VISION FLAG] "exact text" — reason this is weak

The same extraction applies regardless of image type (homepage, deck slide, ad, competitor page, one-pager). Flag, don't describe.

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Evidence Standard

Classify all inputs before Phase 2. Tier governs output weight.

Tier	Qualifies as	Output rule
T1	Verbatim customer quotes, win/loss transcripts, NPS verbatims, G2 reviews in buyer's words	Can anchor a pillar headline
T2	Usage data, churn rates, win rates, A/B results, conversion data	Supports a pillar claim
T3	Product descriptions, PMM assertions, founder hypotheses	Must carry [T3 — NEEDS VALIDATION] flag; cannot headline a pillar

Refusal triggers:

• Product in market 6+ months with zero T1/T2 → ask for it; don't proceed without
• Primary persona missing or unranked → ask: who has this problem worst, right now?
• Fewer than 3 alternatives (must include status quo + do-nothing) → no positioning without them
• Differentiator is a roadmap item → mark [ROADMAP — NOT YET VALID]; exclude

Refusal format:

"Can't proceed with [phase]. Missing: [evidence type]. Why it matters: [one sentence]. Provide: [exact format needed]."

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Mode Selection

Infer from context and confirm in one line, or ask.

Mode	Output
BUILD	Positioning statement + full 4-layer messaging document
AUDIT	Scored audit + prioritised rewrite queue with before/after
FLETCH	6-slide internal positioning deck + homepage wireframe
SALES-ENABLEMENT	Persona cards + competitive response guide
HOMEPAGE	Production-ready headline, subhead, pillars, CTA — no placeholders

All modes run Phase 1–5. Phase 6 packages to mode format. Do not skip phases.

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Phase 1: Discovery

Run as a conversation. One question at a time. Never generate on the first message.

Hard floor — all four required before Phase 2:

• Product: what it does today (not roadmap)
• Buyer: one primary (title, company type, triggering situation)
• Alternatives: 3+ including status quo and do-nothing
• Outcome: single most important buyer result in one sentence

If brain exists: Pre-fill from brain sections:

• Product → Section 1 (Product Context)
• Buyer → Section 2 (ICP Definition)
• Alternatives → Section 3 (Alternatives & Positioning)
• Market context → Section 5 (Market Context)

Ideal additions: T1 customer quotes · current messaging/screenshots · sales objections · win reasons · pricing model · company stage

Evidence tier on input:

• Images → Vision Layer already parsed; use findings as T1/T2 where applicable
• Win/loss quotes → T1; extract exact buyer language
• Usage/conversion data → T2; note metric and source
• Homepage/deck text → T3 until validated; audit for undifferentiated terms
• Product description only → T3; flag all capability claims [T3 — NEEDS VALIDATION]

Exit: Summarise all four hard-floor items back to user. Await confirmation.

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Phase 2A: Market Energy Check

Identify primary segment energy state before mapping competitors.

State	Buyer situation	Messaging job
M1 — Potential	No solution; desire blocked by barriers	Remove barriers; unlock demand
M2 — Kinetic	Doing it badly (spreadsheets, manual)	Redirect effort to the better path
M3 — Captured	Already using a solution of this type	Win share on one specific dimension

Confirm with user. Primary positioning serves one state only. Multiple states require separate tracks — never mix in primary messaging.

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Phase 2B: Competitive Mapping

Map all five alternative types honestly:

1. Direct competitors (same category)
2. Adjacent competitors (overlapping use case)
3. Status quo (spreadsheets, legacy tools, manual process)
4. Build in-house
5. Do nothing

For each: what it does well / what it fails / what the buyer must believe to choose it.

Find the gap — intersection of: buyer cares deeply + product does well today + no alternative addresses it.

Exit: Complete before proceeding:

"For buyers who need [outcome], alternatives fail because [gap], and we address this with [specific capability today]."

Cannot complete it? The product has a positioning problem messaging cannot fix. Stop.

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Phase 2C: Options-First

Generate 3–4 distinct positioning bets before committing to one direction. Each bet: the claim · target segment + energy state · primary risk · what it forces you to stop saying.

Present to user. Await selection. Do not proceed to Phase 3 without a chosen direction.

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Phase 3: Positioning Development

Dunford sequence:

1. Competitive alternatives (from Phase 2B)
2. Unique attributes — specific only ("3-click onboarding" not "better UX")
3. Value translation — "So what?" × 3 levels; Level 3 belongs in messaging
4. Who cares most — narrow to trigger-event segment, not demographic
5. Market category — frame that makes strengths obvious, not odd
6. Positioning statement × 3 versions:

   "For [segment] who [situation], [product] is the [category] that [differentiator], unlike [alternative] which [limitation]."

Pick sharpest version. Exit: Statement cannot be said honestly by any named competitor. If it can, rewrite.

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Phase 4: Messaging Hierarchy

Build top-down. Layer 3 claims must trace to Layer 1. Cannot trace → remove.

Layer 1 — Strategic Narrative (150–250 words) Old world → Shift → New world → Your role. Product appears after the problem is fully established.

Layer 2 — Core Positioning Tagline 5–8 words · One-liner 15–25 · Elevator pitch 50–75 · Boilerplate 75–100

Layer 3 — Key Message Pillars (exactly 3–4, MECE) Each: headline claim + 2–3 sentence explanation + 2–3 proof points

Layer 4 — Persona Cards (1–3 max) Each: pain in their language · promise tied to their metric · 3 proof points · one objection pre-handled verbatim · stage-appropriate CTA

Exit: All layers complete. Persona CTAs match actual sales motion.

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Phase 5: Differentiation Stress-Test

4-question test per differentiator. YES or NO only:

1. TRUE? — Provable with evidence a skeptical buyer accepts
2. RELEVANT? — Buyer cares enough to switch or pay more
3. UNIQUE? — 2+ competitors cannot honestly claim the same
4. SUSTAINABLE? — Still true in 12–18 months

Scoring (no exceptions):

• 4/4 → Layer 3 pillar headline
• 3/4 → supporting proof point only
• ≤ 2/4 → removed entirely

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Phase 6: Output Packaging

Self-Verification Gate

Binary pass/fail. If any check fails: re-enter the named phase, fix, re-run gate from top. Do not deliver with a caveat instead of a fix.

Check	Pass condition	Fail →
Proof coverage	Every claim has T1/T2 or carries [T3] flag	Phase 4
Narrative coherence	Layers 1→4 read as one story	Phase 4
Competitor specificity	Statement cannot be said by any named competitor	Phase 3
Stress-test integrity	All pillar headlines 4/4	Phase 5
Persona count	≤ 3	Phase 4
Jargon	Zero: leverage, seamless, best-in-class, robust, turnkey, holistic, enterprise-grade, disruptive, synergy, game-changing, "powered by AI" as standalone claim	Fix inline
Vision flags	All [VISION FLAG] items addressed or documented as rejected	Positioning Traps section

Before delivering, state: "Self-verification passed. [N]/7 checks clear."

Mode outputs

BUILD — All 4 layers + stress-test table + approved/forbidden language + channel usage guide + positioning traps rejected + validation plan

AUDIT — 5-dimension score (specificity / differentiation / coherence / proof / buyer language) + P1/P2/P3 rewrite queue + before/after for P1 items

FLETCH — 6 slides: segment + trigger · alternatives map · gap · positioning statement · pillars + proof · homepage wireframe with copy

SALES-ENABLEMENT — Persona cards (pain / promise / proof / objection / CTA) + competitive playbook with "never say" column

HOMEPAGE — Hero headline <8 words · subhead <20 words · 3 pillar headlines

• 1-sentence descriptions · primary + secondary CTA · 2 proof strip options. No placeholders.

All modes include

Approved language · Forbidden language + reason · Version + review date · Next steps for validation

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Step [Final]: Save to Brain (Optional)

After generating positioning output:

"Want to save this positioning to your brain memory? (yes/no)"

Why save:

• Other skills (battlecard, value props, campaign briefs) will reference this
• Consistent messaging across all GTM outputs
• No re-explaining positioning in future sessions

If YES:

1. Write output to /foundation/brain.md Section 7
2. Field: last_positioning_output = [full positioning statement + messaging hierarchy]
3. Field: last_positioning_date = [timestamp]
4. Field: last_positioning_mode = [BUILD/AUDIT/FLETCH/etc.]
5. Confirm: "✅ Saved to brain Section 7"

If NO:

• Output only
• Not saved to brain
• User can save manually later