Have you ever come across an awesome product or service, only to find that it just didn't resonate with you?
You see, having an amazing offering is only half the battle. If you really want to snag your customer’s attention, you need to pair it with the right message that speaks directly to them. And that's where the magic of a position statement comes in.
But hold on a second – what exactly is a position statement, you ask? Well, you've come to the right place!
In this article, I'm going to take you on a journey through the art of the position statement.
We'll explore what it is, why it matters, how it can make or break your sales game, and most importantly, I'll show you how to craft compelling position statements that will leave your customers begging for more.
Let’s get started!
What’s a Position Statement?
Well, a position statement is a concise and powerful statement that describes your offering and highlights how it fulfills a specific need in the market. Essentially, it's like a compass that guides your entire marketing and sales strategy.
Your position statement serves as an internal tool that ensures consistency and clarity across all your marketing and sales efforts. It keeps you focused and helps you communicate your unique value proposition effectively to your target audience.
At its core, it’s about your customers' needs and how your offering meets those needs in a distinctive way.
By aligning everything you develop and your overall marketing strategy with your position statement, you create a cohesive and compelling message that resonates with your customers.
It sets the foundation for your brand's identity and ensures that all your efforts work together to make a memorable impact.
Position Statement vs. Value Proposition vs. Mission Statement
A lot of people get these terms confused. So I’m going to make this as simple as possible.
- Value Proposition: Explains the unique benefits and features that make your offering stand out. It’s used as part of your position statement.
- Mission Statement: Your brand's public-facing message that illustrates your core values and purpose.
- Position Statement: Describes your offering and its place in the market.
Sure, there may be some overlap, but it’s important to understand the purpose of each and why they matter.
Why a Position Statement Matters
Besides acting as a guiding light for your brand, a well-crafted, memorable position statement offers a ton of benefits.
- Clarifying Your Message: Articulate what your brand stands for and what makes your product or service unique in the market.
- Establishing USP: Highlights your unique selling points and benefits that make your brand the superior product/service.
- Building Brand Identity: Define your brand's personality, values, and mission, helping customers connect with your brand on a deeper level.
- Increasing Customer Engagement: Spark interest and engage potential customers by aligning with their values and principles.
- Boosting Sales Effectiveness: With a clear position statement, your sales team can confidently communicate the value of your offering to potential customers. It provides them with a framework to address customer objections and highlight the benefits that matter most.
So, if you haven’t worked on your position statement, what the hell are you waiting for? If you want a cohesive sales and marketing team, you need to do this now.
How to Craft a Position Statement
I’ve broken position statements down into these 5 core elements:
1) Identify Your ICP
First, you need to know your target customers like the back of your hand.
Who are they? What keeps them up at night? Take a deep dive into their demographics, behaviors, pain points, and aspirations.
Knowing your ICP will help you tailor your position statement to hit the bullseye with your target audience. It's like having a secret weapon in your sales arsenal!
2) Understand Your Brand Values
Take a moment to really think about the essence of your brand.
What do you stand for? What values do you want to portray to the world?
Your position statement should be a true reflection of your brand's unique personality. Embrace your quirks, your beliefs, and your passions.
When your position statement aligns with your brand values, it becomes a powerful magnet for like-minded customers.
3) Make It Simple & Concise
Your position statement needs to be a quick and impactful punch. Keep it simple and sweet.
Aim for around 3 to 5 sentences that pack a punch.
Be direct, but make it something unique and memorable. You want something that will continue to stick in your team’s minds as they make decisions.
4) Include Your Brand Offering
Your position statement should clearly state what you bring to the table. This will be largely informed by your value prop.
What problems are you solving? Who needs are you serving?
Your brand offering should clearly and concisely answer these two questions.
5) Differentiate Your Product/Service
Highlight your unique selling points, whether it's superior quality, innovative features, exceptional customer service, or something else entirely.
Your position statement needs to show what separates you from the rest of the competition because that’s what’s going to help you get an edge in the market.
Position Statement Template
Now, here’s a simple template you use to make your own position statement:
For [ICP] that [ICP need/challenge/pain point], [Company/Product/Service Name] provides [brand offering] that [solve a specific problem or fulfills a specific need]. With a commitment to [brand values], we deliver [benefits/features] that [provide a distinct advantage].
9 Position Statement Templates
In this section, I want to take a look at what position statements look like across different types of businesses and give you a few templates you can use and adapt to your business.
1) E-commerce Fashion Store
For [target audience] seeking [type of clothing/accessories], [Company Name] offers a wide selection of [description of products]. With our [unique selling point], you can [desired outcome or benefit].
2) SaaS Project Management Tool
At [Company Name], we revolutionize project management by providing a powerful, user-friendly tool that simplifies collaboration and boosts productivity. Say goodbye to scattered tasks and hello to seamless teamwork.
3) Mobile Fitness App
For fitness enthusiasts looking to build strength and flexibility, [Company Name] provides a comprehensive mobile app that offers personalized workout plans, exercise tracking, and instructional videos. With our expert guidance and tailored routines, you can achieve your fitness goals and improve your overall health and well-being.
4) Online Language Learning Platform
For [target audience] looking to learn [specific language], [Company Name] offers an engaging online platform that provides [description of features]. With our [unique selling point], you can [desired outcome or benefit].
5) Pet Subscription Box
For pet owners who love to spoil their furry friends, [Company Name] offers a monthly subscription box filled with high-quality treats, engaging toys, and stylish accessories. Our commitment to pet happiness ensures that your beloved companion receives the ultimate pampering experience, bringing joy and tail wags to their life.
6) Digital Marketing Agency
For [target audience] looking to elevate their online presence, [Company Name] provides comprehensive digital marketing strategies and solutions. Our [unique selling point] guarantees [desired outcome or benefit].
7) Organic Skincare Products
For individuals looking to achieve healthy and radiant skin, [Company Name] offers a range of organic skincare products made from carefully selected natural ingredients. Our nourishing formulas help rejuvenate your skin, leaving it feeling refreshed, moisturized, and glowing.
8) Cleaning Service
At [Company Name], we take the hassle out of house cleaning. Our professional and reliable team ensures your home is spotless, allowing you to enjoy a clean and comfortable living space without lifting a finger.
9) Event Planning
For busy individuals planning their dream wedding, [Company Name] offers full-service event planning that includes venue selection, vendor coordination, and meticulous attention to detail. Our experienced team ensures a seamless and unforgettable wedding experience, allowing you to cherish every moment without stress or worry.
As you can see, it’s not difficult to come up with a position statement that portrays what your brand/product is about.
Feel free to steal any of these templates and make them your own.
7 Position Statement Examples
Now, let’s take a look at some real-world examples to give you some inspiration.
1) Spotify
Our mission is to unlock the potential of human creativity – by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it.
Why it works:
I really like the Spotify position statement because it keenly hones in on two key music demographics: artists and fans. Then it succinctly hits the value proposition for both sides to close it.
Showing you that it doesn’t need to be overly complicated to be memorable and unique.
2) Mailchimp
Mailchimp is an email and marketing automations platform for growing businesses. We empower millions of customers around the world to start and grow their businesses with world-class marketing technology, award-winning customer support, and inspiring content. Mailchimp puts data-backed recommendations at the heart of your marketing, so you can find and engage customers across email, social media, landing pages, and advertising – automatically and with the power of AI.
Why it works:
Mailchimp takes a friendly approach, highlighting how they help customers grow their business and using words like “world-class,” “award-winning,” and “inspiring” to differentiate themselves.
It’s a little wordier than the Spotify example, but they made every word count to clearly demonstrate what they’re offering and why customers need it.
3) Slack
Slack is the productivity platform that empowers everyone with no-code automation and AI, makes search and knowledge sharing seamless, and keeps teams connected and engaged. Around the world, Slack is the platform companies trust, and people love to use.
Why it works:
Slack shows how it’s here to make communicating and staying connected easier for everyone around the world. And it throws in a bit of social proof toward the end just to seal the deal. Behind the scenes, the Slack team will develop features and products that center around these ideas.
4) Amazon Alexa
Alexa.com is a trusted source of insights into digital behavior that marketers use to help win their audience and accelerate growth. Subscribers to the Alexa Marketing Stack leverage rich competitor and audience insights that help them better understand their audience, discover opportunities for growth across multiple marketing channels, and manage the day-to-day workflows of planning, creating, optimizing, promoting, and measuring the effectiveness of their content marketing.
Why it works:
Now this Amazon Alexa position statement is killer. It covers all of the target audience's desires and introduces the core features and benefits, so users know what they’re getting when they sign up.
5) Parse.ly
Parse.ly is installed and integrated on thousands of high-traffic sites. Through its network data, Parse.ly can provide insight into the aggregate content habits of over 1 billion monthly internet users. Parse.ly’s unique data and insights are frequently cited by the press.
Why it works:
Parse.ly is a content analytics platform, and the position statement leverages how their large pool of users provides them with unique data and insights used by big names. It hits nearly all the key components I highlighted above.
6) HubSpot
Since 2006, HubSpot has been on a mission to make the world more inbound. Today, over 100,000 total customers in more than 100 countries use HubSpot's award-winning software, services, and support to transform the way they attract, engage, and delight customers. Composed of HubSpot's CRM, Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub, HubSpot gives companies the tools they need to Grow Better.
Why it works:
HubSpot knocks it out of the park with its position statement. They clearly state their mission, and then they back it up by highlighting they’ve served over 100K customers and how they’re trusted in over 100 countries.
Then they give a glimpse of all the products they’ve created with the aim of achieving their goals of making the world “more inbound.”
7) Payhip
Payhip is an e-commerce platform that enables anyone to sell digital products, courses, coaching, memberships, or physical products directly to their fans and followers. You can embed Payhip directly into your website, or you can use our storefront to sell your work. Payhip takes care of everything. We're an all-in-one ecommerce solution for creators.
Why it works:
Payhip’s position statement shows how they’re useful for anyone with an online presence– where creators can sell products to their audience. They mention how Payhip handles all the logistics, which is normally a major pain point for online creators.
Position Statement Best Practices
When you’re working on your position statement, keep these best practices in mind:
Keep Empathy at the Forefront
When it comes to crafting your position statement, start by putting yourself in your customer's shoes. Imagine their daily challenges, desires, and dreams.
By empathizing with them, you'll gain valuable insights into what they truly value in a product/service.
This understanding will help you tailor your message and position your offering as the perfect solution that meets their needs.
Be Real and Transparent
Don’t make a fake or misleading position statement. So, be authentic and transparent in your messaging. Avoid using jargon or complicated language that confuses your customers.
Instead, speak their language and use relatable terms that they can easily understand. Be honest about what your product or service can deliver, and don't make promises you can't keep.
Your customers will appreciate your honesty and will be more likely to trust your brand.
Use a Vision Board
If you're having trouble getting started with your position statement, try using a vision board. It's a creative collage that helps you visualize your brand's essence and goals.
Gather images, words, and phrases that represent your brand identity and the value you bring to customers. Arrange them on a board or a digital platform to create a visual representation of your position statement.
This exercise can spark your creativity and provide clarity on how to articulate your message effectively.
Proofread and Share It
Before finalizing your position statement, make sure to proofread it thoroughly. Check for any grammar or spelling errors and ensure that your message flows smoothly. O
Once you're confident with your statement, share it with someone you trust, such as a business partner or consultant.
Getting an outside perspective can provide valuable insights and help you fine-tune your statement for maximum impact.
Nail Your Position Statement
That’s 15 examples and templates you can use to create your own position statement. Remember, the core goal is to explain who your product/service is for, why it’s different, and what its place is in the market.
You can take it further like Mailchimp or HubSpot, but there’s nothing wrong with one that’s simple and to the point.
With the right position statement, you have your guiding compass that informs all of your marketing and sales decisions and keeps them aligned between the different teams.
Happy selling!
