In our B2D guide to product positioning, we touched on how to write a positioning statement for a product – but how do you actually create a good one? What are the elements to keep in mind to create a product positioning statement that works?
Check it out:
- What is a product positioning statement?
- What is a unique value proposition?
- Product positioning statement examples
- How to write a positioning statement for a product
- Product positioning statement template
What is a product positioning statement?
A product positioning statement is a brief statement that summarizes a product’s unique value proposition and helps set you apart from your competition. It’s basically a tagline for your product. In a simple sentence or two, you can make it clear what your product does, who it’s for, and why it’s special.
It helps position your product in the minds of your customers.
Product positioning statements help to guide both the development and marketing of your product, ensuring it’s aimed at the right technical audience and solves their problems in the best way possible.
In short, a product positioning statement is a vital tool for any company or individual looking to create and sell successful products.
Pulkit Agrawal
What is a unique value proposition?
Before writing a positioning statement, you must know what’s unique about your product, app, SaaS, API, SDK, etc. How does it differ from the competition? What are its unique selling points? And how can you condense that information into a statement?
A unique value proposition (UVP) can help with that. This is a concise statement that describes what your product offers to your customers, and why they should choose you instead of your competitors, while a product positioning statement is a type of UVP that targets a specific persona or data segment.
Find out more about creating the best unique value propositions in our blog. In the meantime, remember this proposition should be straightforward, A/B tested if possible, tweaked regularly, targeted at a specific audience, and include what makes your product different.
“We help [X] to [Y] by [Z]”
Product positioning statement examples
Want to be inspired? Check out these positioning statement examples from global brands:
Wistia
“Create, host, market, and analyze the impact of video—all with Wistia’s video marketing platform.”
Why it works: it showcases how customers don’t have to leave their platform, as everything can be done there, from video creation to hosting.
Airhouse
“Airhouse helps direct-to-consumer companies get orders from factory to front door. Sync your shop, send inventory, and you’re all set.”
Why it works: it highlights the company’s market focus (direct-to-consumer) without leaving any doubts of what they do. So, the target audience is clear, as is what makes the service unique, with emphasis on how simple everything is.
Mailchimp
“Mailchimp is an all-in-one Marketing Platform for small business. We empower millions of customers around the world to start and grow their businesses with our smart marketing technology, award-winning support, and inspiring content.”
Why it works: the statement showcases Mailchimp as a comprehensive service for small businesses, making it clear who the audience is while leaving room to add new services if they wish.
Lawrence Chapman
How to write a positioning statement for a product
Product positioning statements are often used internally, so it may not even see the light of day – however, it’s still important to make it as accurate and representative of your product as possible (and include how it can meet the needs of developers).
A good positioning statement for a product should, as the name indicates, position it in relation to your competitor’s products.
Steps to write a positioning statement for a product:
- Identify your target audience – who are your customers and where do they hang out?
- Understand devs – this means developers’ pain points, emotions, needs, etc.
- Check what your competitors are up to – what are their statements? Have you spotted any opportunities?
- Define your unique value proposition – make sure it highlights what makes you different from your competitors.
- Use clear language – this way, there’s no room for interpretation.
- Keep it simple and short – avoid the use of jargon and don’t be long-winded!
- Focus on value – keep in mind your product’s benefits and the value it adds to the customer, not just the product features.
- Test – if you have the chance, A/B test your positioning statement and choose the iteration that resonates better with your developer persona.
- Revisit the statement – nothing ever stays the same and your product, your company, your brand, the market, your competitors, etc., can change too. So, tweak the positioning statement as needed.
It’s challenging to condense a good amount of information in a couple of sentences or a short paragraph, but we hope these steps help!
Product positioning statement template
If you’re struggling to get words down, Geoffrey Moore, an American management consultant and author, created a solid template you can use to write a positioning statement for a product:
“For (target customer) who (statement of the need or opportunity), the (product name) is a (product category) that (statement of key benefit – that is, compelling reason to buy). Unlike (primary competitive alternative), our product (statement of primary differentiation).”
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