Obviously Awesome

If we fail at positioning, we fail at marketing and sales.

If we fail at positioning, we fail at marketing and sales. If we fail at marketing and sales, the entire business fails. Positioning defines context. It's the act of deliberately defining how you are the best at something that a defined market cares about. Effective positioning sets the context for your product, allowing customers to quickly understand what it is, why it's special, and why it matters to them. Without strong positioning, even the best marketing tactics and sales efforts will fall flat. Positioning impacts everything. It's not just a marketing exercise - positioning influences every aspect of the business: Marketing: Messaging, audience targeting, campaign development Sales: Target customer segmentation, account strategy Customer Success: Onboarding, account expansion Product: Roadmaps, feature prioritization Strong positioning makes all of these efforts more effective and efficient. It's like having the wind at your back, making everything easier. Weak positioning, on the other hand, is like constantly fighting against the wind.

Your best-fit customers hold the key to understanding what your product is. Start with your happiest customers. Look for patterns among your most enthusiastic, loyal customers - the ones who bought quickly, rarely ask for discounts, and act as references. These customers likely share characteristics that make them an ideal fit for your product. Identify what makes them love you. Analyze what these best-fit customers have in common: Industry or market segment Company size or structure Specific pain points or challenges Goals and priorities Buying behaviors Understanding these patterns will help you focus your positioning on the customers who derive the most value from your product. This targeted approach is more effective than trying to appeal to everyone.

Understand what a customer might replace you with in order to understand how they categorize your solution. Look beyond direct competitors. Your true competitive alternatives aren't just similar products, but anything a customer might use to solve their problem instead of your solution. This could include: Manual processes or workarounds In-house solutions Hiring additional staff Doing nothing Focus on your best customers. Ask yourself: "What would our best customers do if we didn't exist?" This perspective helps you understand how customers truly categorize your solution and what they see as viable alternatives. Understanding your true competitive landscape allows you to position your product more effectively by highlighting your unique strengths in comparison to these alternatives. It also helps you avoid comparing yourself to competitors that customers don't actually consider.

Features enable benefits, which can be translated into value in unique customer terms. Identify truly unique attributes. List all the capabilities, features, or characteristics that set your product apart from the alternatives. Focus on provable, objective…