positioning-basics

Answer five core questions with specifics: who the customer is, what pain triggers action, how your mechanism works, why you are defensibly different, and what transformation results. Then fill the template: For [customer] who [problem], [product] is a [category] that [benefit], unlike [named alternatives], we [differentiator].

A good value proposition names a specific role and situation, cites a concrete trigger event, and claims a differentiator competitors cannot also say. Generic ones target "businesses," promise "efficiency," and fail the test of whether a competitor could make the identical claim.

Define the ICP as a named role plus situation and company stage, including what they use today and the event that triggered their search. Avoid demographic segments; the profile should match a specific real person who has already paid or shown strong intent.

No. The method requires real competitor names, not placeholders, because differentiation is only meaningful relative to actual alternatives. If names are unknown, run a web search for category competitors first, then map where each alternative wins.

The differentiator likely fails the "could a competitor say this" test, using claims like "easy to use" or "AI-powered." Push for an "only we" claim grounded in a specific mechanism, outcome, or customer segment that rivals cannot or will not serve.