---
name: positioning-messaging-builder
description: Build clear positioning and a messaging framework so a brand says what it is, for whom, and why it wins. Use this skill whenever a user wants to clarify positioning, build a messaging framework, define a value proposition, differentiate from competitors, or says 'nail our positioning', 'what is our value prop', or 'we sound like everyone else'. Trigger whenever a brand's message is muddy and needs a sharp, defensible foundation.
---

# Positioning and Messaging Builder

## What this does and why it matters
Weak positioning is the root cause of most marketing that does not work: if the brand cannot say what it is, for whom, and why it is different, no amount of copy or ad spend fixes it. This skill builds positioning from the value the product uniquely delivers and turns it into a messaging framework the whole team can use consistently.

## Inputs to gather
1. What the product does and the outcome it delivers.
2. The best-fit customers and why they choose it.
3. The real alternatives (including doing nothing) and how the product differs.
4. The capabilities that make the differentiation believable.

## Method

### 1. Position against the true alternatives
Positioning is relative. Identify what customers would use instead, then define the differentiated value in that context. Differentiation only means something against a specific comparison.

### 2. Anchor on unique value, not features
Find the value the product delivers that the alternatives cannot, and tie it to the capabilities that prove it. This is the core of a defensible position (the approach April Dunford formalizes: competitive alternatives, unique attributes, the value they enable, the customers who care).

### 3. Name the best-fit customer explicitly
Positioning that tries to fit everyone fits no one. State who it is for and, by implication, who it is not.

### 4. Build the messaging hierarchy
A single positioning statement, a primary value proposition, three supporting pillars (each a benefit backed by proof), and the elevator pitch. Everything downstream (site, ads, decks) inherits from this.

### 5. Give voice guardrails
A short note on tone and the words to use and avoid, so messaging stays consistent across the team.

## Output format
ALWAYS use:

# Positioning and Messaging: [Brand / Product]
## Positioning statement (for [customer] who [need], [product] is a [category] that [unique value], unlike [alternative])
## Value proposition (one sentence)
## Messaging pillars (3, each: claim + proof)
## Elevator pitch (30 seconds)
## Best-fit customer (and who it is not for)
## Voice guardrails (words to use / avoid)

## Anti-patterns to avoid
- Positioning on features instead of differentiated value.
- Trying to appeal to everyone.
- Ignoring the real alternatives, including the status quo.
- A statement so generic a competitor could claim it word for word.

## Example
For a boutique AI consultancy, the position anchors against big generalist firms, claims the unique value of operator-built implementation over slideware, names mid-market services firms as the fit, and sets three pillars around speed, specificity, and outcomes.