Most product marketers know they need to differentiate from competitors. The challenge is figuring out how.
Too often, positioning becomes a feature comparison exercise. Competitors end up sounding similar, and buyers struggle to understand why one solution is meaning fully different from another.
In this Klue webinar, Crispin Read, founder of PMM Hive and CEO of Product Marketing Edge, explains how product marketers can create stronger positioning through competitive differentiation using the Positioning for Advantage framework.
Key Takeaways
Positioning Should Answer the Right Question
Many companies focus their messaging on explaining category benefits. In competitive markets, that’s often the wrong approach. Buyers already understand why they need the category. What they really want to know is: Why should I choose you instead of a competitor? Effective positioning answers that question clearly and consistently.
Differentiate Before You Describe
Most product marketers start with features. Crispin argues that the better approach is to start with differentiation. Identify the few advantages that truly set your product apart, then build your messaging around them. Features should support your story, not define it.
Don’t Abandon Your Category
One of the most common positioning mistakes is inventing a new category when a well-established one already exists. Buyers need a familiar point of reference before they can appreciate what makes you different. Anchor yourself in a category first, then communicate your differentiation.
Focus on Three Key Messages
Customers will not remember ten messages. They might remember three. Crispin recommends identifying the three competitive advantages that matter most, then using them consistently across your website, sales presentations, product collateral, and customer conversations.
Every Claim Needs Proof
Strong positioning is backed by evidence. If you claim to be easier to use, faster to deploy, or more innovative, you should be able to prove it with product capabilities, customer outcomes, data, or other credible evidence. Without proof, differentiation quickly becomes marketing fluff.
Competitive Intelligence Should Inform Positioning
Your battlecards contain valuable insights about why you win, why you lose, common objections, and competitor weaknesses. Those insights shouldn't stay isolated in sales enablement. They should directly influence your positioning and messaging strategy.
Simplicity Is a Competitive Advantage
Perhaps the most important lesson from the webinar is that great positioning is not about saying more. It's about saying less, with greater clarity. Companies that focus on one powerful benefit and a small number of supporting messages often outperform competitors trying to communicate everything at once.
Final Thought
Positioning is not a messaging exercise. It's a strategic exercise. The companies that position themselves most effectively are not necessarily the ones with the most features. They're the ones that clearly communicate why they are different, why that difference matters, and why customers should care.
You Might Be Interested In
- Book Review: The Brand Flip
- Positioning Strategy: Don’t create a category
- Does Apple Have Too Many Branded Features?
- PMM Hive Talk with Dave Kellogg: Marketing in Hot and Cold Markets
- Positioning Done Right: Are You Marketing Your Competitor’s Product?
- PMM Hive Talk: People Hire Your Product to Get a Job Done
- Hot Markets Dos and Don’ts from Dave Kellogg
- Cold Market Marketing Strategy: Differentiation vs. Value
