# Positioning Canvas with Worked Examples

The positioning canvas is a one-page document that captures all positioning decisions in a format the entire team can reference and align around. It is the output of the positioning process and the input to everything downstream: messaging, sales narratives, marketing campaigns, product strategy, and content planning. This reference provides a blank template, three fully worked examples, and a review checklist to validate your positioning.

## Blank Positioning Canvas Template

| Component | Your Answer |
|-----------|-------------|
| **Product** | [Your product name] |
| **Competitive Alternatives** | What would customers do/use if your product didn't exist? List 3-5 alternatives. |
| **Unique Attributes** | What capabilities do you have that alternatives don't? List 5-10 attributes grouped by theme. |
| **Value Theme 1** | [Theme name]: [Value statement]. Proof: [evidence]. |
| **Value Theme 2** | [Theme name]: [Value statement]. Proof: [evidence]. |
| **Value Theme 3** | [Theme name]: [Value statement]. Proof: [evidence]. |
| **Best-Fit Customers** | [Role] at [company type] that [key characteristics] experiencing [trigger]. |
| **Market Category** | [Category name] — Strategy: [head-to-head / subcategory / new category] |
| **Relevant Trends** | What market dynamics make your positioning urgent and timely? |
| **Positioning Statement** | For [best-fit customers], [product] is the [category] that [primary value], unlike [key alternative] which [limitation]. |
| **Primary Message** | One headline that captures the core positioning for external use. |
| **Sales Narrative** | [Problem] → [Old Way] → [Why Now] → [New Way (your product)] → [Proof] → [Ask] |

## Worked Example 1: B2B SaaS — Revenue Operations Platform

| Component | Answer |
|-----------|--------|
| **Product** | RevenueOS |
| **Competitive Alternatives** | (1) Spreadsheets pulling data from Salesforce + Outreach + Gong manually, (2) Salesforce reports and dashboards with custom objects, (3) Generic BI tools like Tableau or Looker adapted for revenue data, (4) Hiring a revenue analyst to manually consolidate and report, (5) Doing nothing — relying on gut feel and monthly pipeline reviews |
| **Unique Attributes** | Bi-directional sync with 40+ revenue tools (real-time, not batch). AI pipeline scoring trained on 50M+ historical deals. No-code workflow builder for revenue processes. Pre-built templates from 200+ customer implementations. Activity auto-capture (no rep data entry). |
| **Value Theme 1** | **Real-time revenue visibility**: See pipeline changes as they happen instead of waiting for weekly reports. Leadership makes decisions on today's data, not last week's snapshot. Proof: "Our forecast accuracy improved from 65% to 92% in one quarter" — VP Rev Ops, ScaleUp Inc. |
| **Value Theme 2** | **Rep productivity through automation**: Reps spend time selling, not entering data or updating CRM. Auto-capture and workflow automation save an average of 8 hours per rep per week. Proof: Customers report 15-25% increase in selling time within 60 days. |
| **Value Theme 3** | **Predictable revenue operations**: AI-powered pipeline scoring and deal risk alerts prevent end-of-quarter surprises. RevOps teams shift from reactive firefighting to proactive pipeline management. Proof: 78% of customers report more accurate forecasts within 90 days. |
| **Best-Fit Customers** | VP/Director of Revenue Operations at B2B SaaS companies with 100-500 employees, using Salesforce as their CRM, who have experienced a recent growth event (Series B+, new CRO hire, or 50%+ headcount growth) and are frustrated with manual reporting processes. |
| **Market Category** | Revenue Intelligence Platform (subcategory of CRM/Revenue Technology) |
| **Relevant Trends** | Rise of Revenue Operations as a dedicated function. Board-level demand for data-driven forecasting. Distributed sales teams need shared real-time visibility. AI adoption in sales technology. |
| **Positioning Statement** | For RevOps leaders at growth-stage B2B SaaS companies, RevenueOS is the revenue intelligence platform that turns scattered sales data into real-time pipeline visibility and AI-powered forecasts, unlike Salesforce dashboards or manual spreadsheet consolidation which are always out of date and require hours of manual work. |
| **Primary Message** | "See your revenue as it happens — not as it happened." |
| **Sales Narrative** | Problem: Revenue leaders make decisions on stale data because consolidating information from 5+ tools takes days. → Old way: RevOps analysts spend 60%+ of their time pulling, cleaning, and formatting data in spreadsheets. → Why now: As you scale past 100 reps, manual processes break. Forecasts become guesswork. The board demands accuracy. → New way: RevenueOS syncs all your revenue tools in real-time and uses AI trained on 50M deals to score your pipeline and flag risks before they become surprises. → Proof: ScaleUp Inc. went from 65% to 92% forecast accuracy. Reps save 8 hours per week. → Ask: 30-day pilot with your top-performing team. |

## Worked Example 2: Consumer App — Neighborhood Safety Platform

| Component | Answer |
|-----------|--------|
| **Product** | SafeHood |
| **Competitive Alternatives** | (1) Nextdoor app (general neighborhood social network), (2) Local Facebook groups, (3) City/police crime map websites, (4) Ring/Neighbors app (camera-based alerts), (5) Doing nothing — relying on word of mouth or local news |
| **Unique Attributes** | Real-time verified incident reporting (not rumors or hearsay — requires photo/video evidence). Machine learning severity scoring that filters noise and highlights genuine safety concerns. Direct integration with local police dispatch data (available in 200+ cities). Anonymized reporting that protects reporter identity while maintaining accountability. Neighborhood safety score with historical trends (not just current alerts). |
| **Value Theme 1** | **Verified safety information**: Know what's actually happening in your neighborhood based on verified reports and police data, not rumors and speculation. Proof: 94% of users say SafeHood information is more trustworthy than social media. 200+ city police department data integrations. |
| **Value Theme 2** | **Signal over noise**: ML-powered severity scoring ensures you only get alerts that matter — not lost cats or complaints about loud music. Proof: Average user receives 3 relevant alerts per week vs. 30+ unfiltered posts on Nextdoor. 89% alert relevance rating. |
| **Value Theme 3** | **Make informed decisions**: Neighborhood safety scores help with daily decisions (route planning, letting kids play outside) and major ones (where to move, whether to invest). Proof: Featured by 3 major real estate platforms for neighborhood evaluation. Used in 500K+ home-buying decisions. |
| **Best-Fit Customers** | Parents with children under 12, living in suburban neighborhoods in cities with 100K+ population, who are active smartphone users and currently check Nextdoor or local Facebook groups for neighborhood information. |
| **Market Category** | Neighborhood Safety App (subcategory of neighborhood/community apps) |
| **Relevant Trends** | Increased concern about community safety. Demand for data-driven local information. Growth of smart home and connected neighborhood technology. Decline of trust in social media for reliable information. |
| **Positioning Statement** | For suburban parents who want to know what's really happening in their neighborhood, SafeHood is the neighborhood safety app that provides verified, police-integrated safety information and filters out noise, unlike Nextdoor or Facebook groups where rumors spread unchecked and every post demands attention. |
| **Primary Message** | "Know what's really happening in your neighborhood." |
| **Sales Narrative** | (Consumer context — app store listing and onboarding) Problem: You want to keep your family safe, but neighborhood information is scattered across unreliable sources. → Old way: Scroll through Nextdoor drama, check the police blotter website, ask neighbors. Most of what you read is rumors, complaints, or irrelevant noise. → Why now: Your neighborhood is changing, your kids are getting older, and you need reliable information — not gossip. → New way: SafeHood integrates police dispatch data with verified resident reports and uses ML to surface only what matters. One app, one trustworthy source. → Proof: Used by 2M+ families. 94% trust rating. Integrated with 200+ police departments. → Ask: Download free. Set up your neighborhood in 2 minutes. |

## Worked Example 3: Professional Services — Positioning Consultancy

| Component | Answer |
|-----------|--------|
| **Product** | PositionCraft Consulting |
| **Competitive Alternatives** | (1) DIY positioning using books and frameworks (Obviously Awesome, Play Bigger), (2) General brand strategy agencies (Landor, Interbrand, Siegel+Gale), (3) Fractional CMO or marketing advisor, (4) Internal marketing team runs the process themselves, (5) Doing nothing — keeping current positioning and hoping it works |
| **Unique Attributes** | Methodology validated across 150+ B2B tech companies (not a generic branding framework adapted for tech). Proprietary customer research sprint (30 interviews in 2 weeks with structured analysis). Deliverable includes sales narrative and pitch deck, not just a positioning document. Process includes sales team training and role-play sessions. 90-day post-engagement support with weekly positioning alignment check-ins. |
| **Value Theme 1** | **Speed to impact**: Complete positioning overhaul in 6 weeks, not 6 months. Sales team pitching the new positioning by week 8. Proof: Average client sees measurable win-rate improvement within one quarter. 150+ B2B engagements completed. |
| **Value Theme 2** | **Research-backed, not opinion-based**: Positioning built on 30+ customer interviews and quantitative analysis, not the founder's gut or a consultant's opinion. Proof: Proprietary research methodology. Every recommendation traceable to customer evidence. |
| **Value Theme 3** | **Team alignment, not a document**: The deliverable isn't a PDF — it's an aligned team. Includes sales training, role-play, and 90 days of follow-up to ensure the positioning sticks. Proof: 92% of clients report full team alignment at 90-day check-in. NPS of 78. |
| **Best-Fit Customers** | CEO or VP Marketing at B2B technology companies with $5M-$50M ARR who are experiencing a positioning crisis: win rates declining, sales cycles lengthening, or preparing for a major launch or market expansion. Must have budget authority and willingness to involve sales team in the process. |
| **Market Category** | B2B Product Positioning Consultancy (subcategory of brand/marketing strategy consulting) |
| **Relevant Trends** | Increasing competition in B2B SaaS makes positioning more critical. Product-led growth requires clear positioning for self-serve conversion. AI-generated content makes human strategic differentiation more valuable, not less. |
| **Positioning Statement** | For B2B tech leaders facing a positioning crisis, PositionCraft is the product positioning consultancy that delivers research-backed, team-aligned positioning in 6 weeks with sales-ready deliverables, unlike general brand agencies that take months and deliver a document no one uses. |
| **Primary Message** | "Positioning that your sales team actually uses — in 6 weeks." |
| **Sales Narrative** | Problem: Your product is great, but prospects don't get it. Win rates are slipping. Sales cycles are stretching. Different team members describe the product differently. → Old way: Hire a brand agency for a 6-month engagement that produces a beautiful PDF. The sales team ignores it. Nothing changes. Or try to DIY it, but the team can't align and the founder's opinion dominates. → Why now: Every quarter of unclear positioning costs pipeline. Your competitors are getting sharper while your message stays muddy. → New way: PositionCraft runs a 6-week sprint: 30 customer interviews, data-driven analysis, team workshops, and deliverables that include the sales pitch, not just the strategy document. → Proof: 150+ B2B tech companies. Average client sees win-rate improvement within one quarter. 92% team alignment at 90-day check-in. → Ask: 60-minute positioning diagnostic call (free). We'll tell you whether your positioning needs work and what we'd do about it. |

## Positioning Canvas Review Checklist

After completing your positioning canvas, validate it against these criteria:

### Internal Consistency

- [ ] Every value theme traces back to at least one unique attribute
- [ ] Every unique attribute relates to a weakness of a competitive alternative
- [ ] Best-fit customers are the ones who care most about the stated value themes
- [ ] The market category makes the value themes feel natural and expected
- [ ] The positioning statement is consistent with all other components

### External Validity

- [ ] Competitive alternatives are based on customer research, not assumptions
- [ ] Unique attributes pass the "only we" test against all listed alternatives
- [ ] Value claims are backed by proof points (not just assertions)
- [ ] Best-fit customer definition is actionable (you can build a target list)
- [ ] Market category is one that prospects already understand (or you have resources to educate)

### Practical Utility

- [ ] Sales team can use the positioning statement and narrative immediately
- [ ] Marketing team can derive campaign messaging from the value themes
- [ ] Product team can use best-fit customer definition for roadmap prioritization
- [ ] Every team member can fill out this canvas consistently without prompting
- [ ] New hires can understand the positioning from this one document

### Stress Tests

- [ ] If a competitor copies one unique attribute, does the positioning still hold?
- [ ] If the market trend fades, does the positioning still make sense?
- [ ] Does the positioning work for your best-fit segment AND at least one adjacent segment?
- [ ] Can the positioning evolve as the product grows without requiring a complete overhaul?
- [ ] Is there a clear "what we are NOT" that prevents scope creep?

### Red Flags to Watch For

| Red Flag | What It Means | Action |
|----------|---------------|--------|
| More than 4 value themes | Positioning is unfocused | Consolidate to 2-3 themes |
| Best-fit customer is "everyone" | No real targeting | Narrow based on best customer analysis |
| No proof points for value claims | Claims are aspirational, not proven | Gather customer evidence before finalizing |
| Positioning statement longer than 2 sentences | Too complex | Simplify and sharpen |
| Team members fill in the canvas differently | Alignment hasn't been achieved | Run the team exercise again |
| Category requires significant explanation | Education tax may be too high | Consider subcategory instead of new category |
