AI agent skill · by @menkesu

Positioning Craft

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.

Archived 2026-10-23 · Source updated 2026-02-19. Check the original repository for the latest version.

SKILL.md instructions

# 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.'"