Positioning Statement Generator

What it is

The Positioning Statement Generator helps you articulate exactly what your organisation or product is, who it’s for, and why someone should care. It’s not a tagline or a brand statement—it’s an internal document that clarifies your positioning so all communications stay aligned.

A good positioning statement answers four core questions:

Who is this for? (Target audience)
What category are you in? (How people should think about you)
What’s different? (Your key differentiator)
Why should they believe you? (Proof)

This template walks you through developing each element systematically, then helps you stress-test the positioning to ensure it’s defensible, distinctive, and grounded in reality.

When to use it

Use the Positioning Statement Generator when:

You’re building a new brand or relaunching an existing one
You’re creating a new product line or service offering
You want to clarify and align internal understanding of your positioning
You’re preparing to build your Message House
Your competitive landscape has shifted and your positioning needs updating
Teams are inconsistent about what your organisation stands for

Don’t use the Positioning Statement Generator when:

You already have a clear, tested positioning (just validate it)
You’re creating a tagline or brand name (different process)
You’re developing detailed messaging (use Message House instead)
You’re in early-stage exploration (do market research first)

Inputs needed

Before you start:

Clear understanding of who your primary audience is
What problems they’re trying to solve
Competitive alternatives (not just direct competitors—alternative approaches)
Your key strengths, capabilities, or differentiation
Supporting evidence: market research, customer feedback, competitive analysis
Market category you’re in or creating

The template

Positioning Statement Framework

TARGET AUDIENCE: [Specific description of who this is for]

Primary persona: [NAME & CHARACTERISTICS]
What they’re trying to accomplish: [GOAL/PROBLEM]
Their main concern or constraint: [PAIN POINT]
Why they care about solving this: [IMPACT IF NOT SOLVED]

MARKET CATEGORY: [What category should someone think of you in?]

Category name: [E.G., “Platform,” “Service,” “Methodology”]
Alternative approaches they might consider: [WHAT ELSE MIGHT SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM?]
Why that category matters: [WHY FRAME IT THIS WAY?]

DIFFERENTIATION: [What’s genuinely different about your approach?]

Key differentiator: [THE MAIN WAY YOU’RE DIFFERENT]
Why you can do this: [WHY IS THIS POSSIBLE FOR YOU?]
What this means for the customer: [WHAT CUSTOMER BENEFIT FLOWS FROM THIS?]

SUPPORTING PROOF: [Why should someone believe your differentiation is real?]

Evidence type 1: [PROOF]
Evidence type 2: [PROOF]
Evidence type 3: [PROOF]

Positioning Statement Word Equation

Use this formula to draft your positioning statement:

“[BRAND NAME] is the [CATEGORY] for [TARGET AUDIENCE] that [KEY DIFFERENTIATION] because [PROOF/WHY IT MATTERS].”

Example formulas:

“We’re the [category] for [audience] that [what you do differently] because [why they should care].”
“[Brand] enables [audience] to [outcome they want] by [how you’re different].”
“For [audience] who [need/problem], [brand] is the [category] that [differentiation], unlike [alternative].”

Positioning Stress-Test Checklist

Test your positioning against these criteria:

Distinctive?

Could a competitor truthfully make this exact positioning claim?
Does your positioning separate you from alternatives?
Is the differentiation something competitors can’t easily copy?

Defensible?

Can you back up every claim with evidence?
Is your differentiation grounded in something real (capability, data, evidence)?
Can you explain why your differentiation exists?

Specific?

Are you clear about who this is for (not “everyone”)?
Is the category specific enough to be meaningful?
Is the differentiation concrete, not abstract?

Relevant?

Does the differentiation matter to your target audience?
Does the positioning address an actual need or concern?
Would your audience understand why your differentiation matters?

Sustainable?

Can you sustain this positioning over time (3+ years)?
Is it grounded in your core capabilities, not a trend?
Can you invest in maintaining this differentiation?

AI prompt

Base prompt

I'm developing a positioning statement for [BRAND/PRODUCT].

Here's what I know:

TARGET AUDIENCE:
- Primary customer: [DESCRIPTION]
- Their main challenge: [PROBLEM]
- What success looks like for them: [OUTCOME]

MARKET CONTEXT:
- What category are we in: [CATEGORY]
- Alternative solutions they might consider: [ALTERNATIVES]
- Current market leader or benchmark: [REFERENCE]

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT:
- Our key capability or approach: [DIFFERENTIATOR]
- Why we can do this: [CAPABILITY SOURCE]
- What it means for customers: [CUSTOMER BENEFIT]

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE:
- Research or data: [EVIDENCE]
- Customer feedback: [PROOF]
- Competitive advantage: [WHY WE WIN]

Please develop:
1. A clear positioning statement (one sentence)
2. Expanded positioning (2-3 sentences explaining the above)
3. Key points from the statement (5 bullet points on what makes this positioning work)
4. Stress test: where might this positioning be vulnerable?
5. 3 alternative positionings to consider if this one doesn't feel right
6. How to test/validate this positioning

Make sure the positioning is specific enough to be distinctive but not
so narrow that it limits future growth.

Prompt variations

Variation 1: Product Positioning

I'm positioning a new [PRODUCT TYPE] called [NAME].

It's designed for [TARGET AUDIENCE] who are trying to [GOAL].

Current alternatives they consider:
- [Alternative 1] — good at [STRENGTH] but struggles with [WEAKNESS]
- [Alternative 2] — good at [STRENGTH] but struggles with [WEAKNESS]

Our product is different because [KEY DIFFERENTIATION].

This matters because [CUSTOMER IMPACT].

We can prove this with [EVIDENCE/DATA/CUSTOMER FEEDBACK].

Develop a positioning statement that makes clear:
1. Who this is for
2. What problem it solves better than alternatives
3. Why we're credible on this
4. What customers should expect from us

Variation 2: Brand Repositioning

We're repositioning [BRAND] from "[OLD POSITIONING]" to "[NEW POSITIONING]".

The shift is happening because:
- Market has changed: [HOW]
- Our capabilities have evolved: [HOW]
- Customer needs have shifted: [HOW]

Our new target audience is [AUDIENCE].

What's different about our new positioning:
- [DIFFERENCE 1]
- [DIFFERENCE 2]
- [DIFFERENCE 3]

Evidence that supports the new positioning:
[EVIDENCE/DATA]

Develop a positioning statement that:
- Feels distinct from our old positioning
- Builds on our heritage without being stuck in the past
- Makes sense to both current and new customers
- Grounded in what we actually do well

Variation 3: Category Creation

We're not in an existing category; we're creating a new one.

The old way people solved this problem: [OLD APPROACH]
- What works about it: [STRENGTHS]
- What's limiting: [LIMITATIONS]

The new approach we're pioneering: [YOUR APPROACH]
- How it's different: [DIFFERENCE]
- Why it's better: [BENEFIT]

Our target audience are people currently using [OLD APPROACH]
who are frustrated with [FRUSTRATION].

Evidence this is a real need:
[MARKET RESEARCH/CUSTOMER FEEDBACK/TREND DATA]

Develop positioning that:
- Names or describes the new category
- Explains why it matters vs. the old way
- Positions us as the pioneer/leader
- Makes clear who should consider this new approach

Variation 4: B2B Service Positioning

We provide [SERVICE TYPE] to [INDUSTRY] companies that [SITUATION].

The main customer challenge: [PROBLEM]
- What they currently do: [CURRENT APPROACH]
- What's missing: [GAP]

How our approach is different: [DIFFERENTIATION]

This is valuable because it leads to [CUSTOMER OUTCOME].

We're credible because: [CREDENTIALS/EXPERIENCE/PROOF]

Key differentiation vs. competitors:
- [Difference 1]
- [Difference 2]

Develop positioning that:
- Speaks to executive priorities (not just operational benefits)
- Makes clear the business case
- Differentiates from both consultants and software alternatives
- Positions us at the right level (strategic vs. tactical)

Variation 5: Marketplace/Platform Positioning

We operate a [MARKETPLACE/PLATFORM] connecting [GROUP 1] with [GROUP 2].

The problem we solve for [GROUP 1]: [PROBLEM 1]
The problem we solve for [GROUP 2]: [PROBLEM 2]

Current alternatives:
- Direct connection: [HOW IT WORKS NOW]
- Other platforms: [COMPETITORS]

Our differentiation:
[WHAT MAKES OUR PLATFORM DIFFERENT]

This creates value because:
[HOW IT BENEFITS BOTH SIDES]

Evidence:
[MARKETPLACE METRICS / USER TESTIMONIALS / NETWORK GROWTH]

Develop positioning that:
- Addresses both marketplace sides clearly
- Makes the value of the network effect clear
- Differentiates from both DIY and competitive platforms
- Grounded in real network metrics and user validation

Human review checklist

Example output

ORGANISATION: TechFlow

TARGET AUDIENCE: Mid-market B2B SaaS companies (50-500 employees) trying to scale operations without adding more overhead. These companies are growing fast and hiring aggressively, but their operational systems haven’t kept pace. The core pain is that their finance, HR, and operations teams are drowning in manual processes whilst trying to support growth.

MARKET CATEGORY: Operations automation platform. (Not: workflow software, not: business process management—too broad and too academic. We’re specifically about automating routine operations work.)

KEY DIFFERENTIATION: We’re designed specifically for mid-market SaaS companies, not generic enterprises. Most automation platforms require heavy IT customisation. Ours works out-of-the-box for the operations workflows we see repeatedly in SaaS (onboarding, offboarding, procurement, expense management). That means implementation in 4 weeks instead of 4 months.

SUPPORTING PROOF:

Customer case study: ServiceCo scaled from 100 to 250 employees without adding operations headcount
Analyst ranking: Gartner Leader for implementation speed
Adoption metric: 73% of target customer operations workflows automated within 6 months
Net Promoter Score: 72 (industry average: 48)

POSITIONING STATEMENT (SHORT): “TechFlow is the operations automation platform for mid-market SaaS, designed to scale operations without adding overhead.”

POSITIONING STATEMENT (EXPANDED): TechFlow helps mid-market SaaS companies scale their operations without proportional growth in overhead costs. Unlike generic automation platforms requiring months of IT customisation, TechFlow works out-of-the-box for standard SaaS operations workflows: employee onboarding, offboarding, procurement, expense management, and vendor management. Companies typically go live in 4 weeks and automate 70% of routine operations work, freeing their operations team to focus on strategic work instead of manual processes.

KEY POINTS:

Target: Mid-market SaaS (not enterprise, not SMB)
Problem: Operations teams scaling without adequate systems
Solution: Out-of-the-box automation for SaaS workflows
Benefit: Faster time-to-value (4 weeks, not 4 months)
Proof: Customer results + analyst recognition + NPS

STRESS TEST: Vulnerable areas:

“Out-of-the-box” claim depends on having standard workflows. Non-standard operations might require customisation (mitigate: customisation support available)
“Mid-market SaaS” is specific, but could limit growth perception (mitigate: platform scales to enterprise, though that’s not our initial positioning)
If a competitor releases an out-of-the-box solution, our differentiation weakens (mitigate: invest in staying ahead on ease-of-use and time-to-value)

Message House — Use this positioning statement as your roof message
Key Messages Grid — Adapt this core positioning for different audiences and channels
Proof Points Bank — Compile all evidence that supports this positioning
Executive Quote Pack — Develop spokesperson quotes that articulate this positioning
FAQ Builder — Answer questions about what this positioning means

Tips for success

Be specific about audience, not just category. “Platform for businesses” is too broad. “Operations automation platform for mid-market SaaS companies” is specific enough to be distinctive but not so narrow that you cut off growth. Test: Can you describe the ideal customer in one paragraph?

Differentiation should be defensible, not aspirational. “We provide the best customer experience” isn’t a differentiation until you can back it up with evidence. “We implement in 4 weeks instead of 4 months because we designed specifically for SaaS workflows” is a defensible differentiation backed by process and proof.

Start with the audience problem, not your solution. Begin by deeply understanding what your target audience actually struggles with. Your positioning should solve that problem, not promote your product. If you can’t articulate the problem in one sentence, your positioning won’t be clear.

Test your positioning by trying to argue against it. If you can’t articulate a strong counterargument, the positioning isn’t clear enough. If someone asks “but what about [alternative]?” and you don’t have a strong answer, revise. A good positioning is one you could defend in a debate.

Make sure your team can articulate it. If your positioning is so complicated that your sales team can’t explain it in 30 seconds, simplify. If two people explain it differently, it’s not clear enough. Clarity is the first test of good positioning.

Common pitfalls

Trying to appeal to everyone. “We’re the best platform for any company that wants to get better” isn’t positioning—it’s marketing fluff. Positioning requires saying no to some customers so you can be everything to your target customer.

Differentiation that’s not sustainable. “We’re the cheapest” is a differentiation, but it’s not sustainable (competitors can match price). “We have the best customer service” is vague (prove it, and competitors can claim it too). Strong differentiation is built on something a competitor can’t easily copy: specific capability, deep expertise, or unique approach.

Positioning that’s too clever. Your positioning should be clear enough that a journalist, analyst, or new employee understands it without explanation. If it requires decoding, it’s not a positioning—it’s a creative writing exercise.

Ignoring what competitors claim. Know your competitive landscape and don’t claim something your main competitor already owns. If the market leader is already “the fastest,” don’t position on speed. Find the differentiation they haven’t claimed.

Positioning grounded in ego, not evidence. “We’re the most innovative” feels good but means nothing. “We hold 14 patents in [specific area]” is a positioning built on evidence. Feelings-based positioning doesn’t survive scrutiny; evidence-based positioning does.