Who This Helps
Growth marketers who need to move channel metrics without guesswork. You have the data. But stakeholders want a story, not a spreadsheet. This is for you if you've ever felt your analysis disappear into a black hole of "let's circle back."
Mini Case
Meet Zaid. He runs growth at a B2B SaaS company. His team spent 7 days analyzing competitor claims. They found that 12% of competitor "proof points" were narrative noise, not evidence. Zaid built a positioning grid with clear criteria and tradeoffs. He presented it to his VP. The VP approved the new positioning in 3 minutes. Zaid's channel metrics moved 22% in two weeks.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- Run a Signal Landscape Scan. List every market shift you see. Pick one that changes your positioning.
- Audit competitor claims. Classify each as evidence-backed or narrative noise. Use a simple table.
- Choose one ICP wedge. Pick the segment where your evidence is strongest. Justify it with numbers.
- Build a positioning grid. Compare your wedge against competitors on 3 criteria. Show tradeoffs clearly.
- Write a Positioning Statement Card. One sentence that sums up your bet. Share it with stakeholders.
Avoid These Traps
- Too many criteria. Stick to 3. More than that and you lose people.
- Hiding tradeoffs. If your grid shows no weaknesses, stakeholders won't trust it.
- Skipping the win-loss cut. Always include real evidence from lost deals. It builds credibility.
- Using jargon. Say "customer segment" not "ICP wedge" in meetings. Save the fancy terms for your notes.
- Forgetting the fun part. Yes, positioning is serious. But a little humor in your grid makes it memorable.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you'll have a one-page positioning artifact. It will include your signal scan, competitor claim audit, ICP wedge choice, positioning grid, and win-loss evidence cut. Your stakeholders will see a clear bet with guardrails. No more guesswork. Just approved execution.