A positioning statement (PS) defines the unique value and target market of a product or service. It is used in sales, marketing, and business strategy to communicate the key benefits of a product or service and how it differentiates from competitors.
A strong PS will not only contain information about the product, but it will also emphasize the unique benefits and key advantages over other products in the market. Sales and marketing teams use these statements extensively to approach customers and communicate their offering.
It should be noted that a PS is not all that is said about a product and will often serve as a foundation for messaging tailored to a specific buyer persona or ideal customer profile.
A positioning statement will typically include the following elements:
A very simple formula for writing a positioning statement, often used in tech product marketing, might look like this:“For [target audiences] looking for a [product category], our brand provides [unique value proposition] to help you achieve [outcome], unlike [our competition].”
A positioning statement is a tool used in marketing, sales, and strategy to define a product's unique value and target market. A tagline, in contrast, is a public-facing phrase that breaks the brand message into a catchy, consumer-friendly line. The tagline can be inspired by the positioning statement, but the two serve different purposes.