---
name: positioning-craft
description: Crafts product positioning using April Dunford's positioning framework. Use when defining target customers, choosing categories, identifying alternatives, or articulating differentiated value. Based on Obviously Awesome methodology.
---

# Positioning Mastery

## When This Skill Activates

Claude uses this skill when:
- Defining product positioning
- Writing value propositions
- Choosing market category
- Differentiating from competitors

## Core Frameworks

### 1. April Dunford's Positioning Framework

**The Five Components:**

**1. WHO is this best for?**
- Specific segment, not "everyone"
- Define ideal customer profile

**2. WHAT category does this fit in?**
- Existing category or new?
- Sets expectations

**3. WHAT alternatives exist?**
- What do customers use now?
- Don't say "no competitors"

**4. UNIQUE value you provide**
- What's different?
- Why does that matter?

**5. PROOF it's real**
- Evidence/metrics
- Customer stories

---

## Action Templates

### Template: Positioning Canvas

```markdown
# Positioning: [Product]

## 1. Best For (Target Customer)
**Ideal customer:**
- Industry: [specific]
- Role: [specific]
- Problem: [specific pain]
- **NOT for:** [who should avoid]

## 2. Category
**It's a:** [category name]
**Context:** [how customers understand it]

## 3. Alternatives
**Customers currently use:**
- [Alternative 1]
- [Alternative 2]
- [Alternative 3]

**Why they're insufficient:**
- [Reason]

## 4. Unique Value
**We're different because:**
- [Differentiator 1]
- [Differentiator 2]

**Why that matters to customers:**
- [Customer benefit 1]
- [Customer benefit 2]

## 5. Proof Points
- [Metric/case study]
- [Metric/case study]
- [Metric/case study]

## One-Sentence Positioning
"For [target customer] who [need/problem], [product] is a [category] that [unique value]. Unlike [alternatives], we [key differentiator]."
```

---

## Quick Reference

### 🎯 Positioning Checklist

**Clarity:**
- [ ] Who it's for (specific)
- [ ] What category (clear)
- [ ] What alternatives (honest)
- [ ] Unique value (different)
- [ ] Proof (credible)

**Testing:**
- [ ] Customer understands it
- [ ] Sales team can pitch it
- [ ] Differentiation is clear

---

## Key Quotes

**April Dunford:**
> "Positioning is the first thing you need to get right. Everything else flows from it."

**On Competitors:**
> "When you say 'we have no competitors,' customers hear 'there's no demand for what you do.'"