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positioning-statement

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Original

English
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Translation

Chinese

Purpose

目的

Create a Geoffrey Moore-style positioning statement that clearly articulates who your product serves, what need it addresses, how it's categorized, what benefit it delivers, and how it differs from alternatives. Use this when you need to align stakeholders on product strategy, guide messaging, or test if your value proposition is crisp and defensible.
This is not a tagline or elevator pitch—it's a strategic clarity tool that forces you to make hard choices about target, need, and differentiation.
创建一份Geoffrey Moore风格的定位声明，清晰阐明你的产品服务对象、解决的需求、所属类别、带来的价值，以及与竞品的差异。当你需要让利益相关者对齐产品战略、指导营销话术，或验证你的价值主张是否清晰且具备竞争力时，可使用此方法。
这不是标语或电梯演讲——它是一个战略清晰度工具，迫使你在目标受众、需求和差异化上做出明确选择。

Key Concepts

核心概念

The Geoffrey Moore Framework

Geoffrey Moore框架

From Crossing the Chasm, Moore's framework splits positioning into two parts:
Value Proposition:
  • For [target customer]
  • that need [underserved need]
  • [product name]
  • is a [product category]
  • that [benefit statement]
Differentiation Statement:
  • Unlike [primary competitor or competitive alternative]
  • [product name]
  • provides [unique differentiation]
出自《Crossing the Chasm》（跨越鸿沟），Moore的框架将定位分为两部分：
价值主张：
  • 针对 [目标客户]
  • 他们的需求 [未被充分满足的需求]
  • [产品名称]
  • 是一款 [产品类别]
  • 能够 [价值陈述]
差异化声明：
  • 与 [主要竞品或替代方案] 不同
  • [产品名称]
  • 具备 [独特差异化优势]

Why This Structure Works

该框架为何有效

  • Forces specificity: You can't say "for everyone" or "unlike all competitors"
  • Exposes assumptions: If you can't fill in "unlike X," you may not have defensible differentiation
  • Focuses on outcomes, not features: "That reduces churn by 40%" beats "that has analytics"
  • Category anchors perception: Saying "is a CRM" vs. "is a workflow tool" changes how buyers evaluate you
  • 强制具体化： 你不能说“针对所有人”或“与所有竞品不同”
  • 暴露假设： 如果你无法填写“与X不同”，可能你的差异化优势不具备防御性
  • 聚焦成果而非功能： “能够将客户流失率降低40%”比“具备分析功能”更有说服力
  • 类别锚定认知： 称自己为“CRM”还是“工作流工具”，会改变买家对你的评估方式

Anti-Patterns (What This Is NOT)

反模式（误区）

  • Not a tagline: "Positioning" ≠ "Nike: Just Do It"
  • Not a feature list: Don't say "that provides AI, automation, and integrations"
  • Not generic: "For businesses that need efficiency" = positioning theater
  • Not aspirational fluff: "That revolutionizes productivity" without specifics is noise
  • 不是标语： “定位”≠“耐克：Just Do It”
  • 不是功能列表： 不要说“具备AI、自动化和集成功能”
  • 不能泛泛而谈： “针对需要提升效率的企业”只是空泛的定位
  • 不能是空洞的口号： 没有具体内容的“彻底革新生产力”只是噪音

When to Use This

适用场景

  • Defining a new product or major pivot
  • Aligning exec/founder/PM/marketing on strategy
  • Testing if your differentiation is real or imagined
  • Before writing PRDs, launch plans, or sales collateral
  • 定义新产品或重大战略转型
  • 让高管、创始人、产品经理、营销团队对齐战略
  • 验证你的差异化优势是真实存在还是想象的
  • 撰写PRD、发布计划或销售素材之前

When NOT to Use This

不适用场景

  • For internal tools with captive users (positioning is for markets)
  • When you're still in problem validation (position after you know the problem)
  • As a substitute for customer research (this synthesizes insights, doesn't create them)
  • 针对内部专属工具（定位是面向市场的）
  • 仍处于问题验证阶段（定位应在明确问题后进行）
  • 替代客户调研（该工具是整合洞察，而非创造洞察）

Application

应用步骤

Use 
template.md
for the full fill-in structure.
使用
template.md
获取完整的填空式模板。

Step 1: Gather Context

步骤1：收集背景信息

Before drafting, ensure you have:
  • Target customer segment: Demographics, behaviors, role (not just "SMBs" or "developers")
  • Underserved need: Pains, gains, jobs-to-be-done (reference 
    skills/jobs-to-be-done/SKILL.md
    if needed)
  • Product category: How buyers mentally file your solution (CRM, analytics platform, etc.)
  • Competitive landscape: Direct competitors AND substitute behaviors (e.g., "Excel" is often the real competitor)
If missing context: Use discovery interviews, market research, or customer interviews to fill gaps. Don't guess.
开始撰写前，确保你拥有：
  • 目标客户细分： 人口统计特征、行为、角色（不只是“中小企业”或“开发者”）
  • 未被满足的需求： 痛点、收益、用户待办任务（如有需要，参考
    skills/jobs-to-be-done/SKILL.md
    ）
  • 产品类别： 买家如何在心理上归类你的解决方案（如CRM、分析平台等）
  • 竞争格局： 直接竞品和替代行为（例如，“Excel”往往是真正的竞品）
如果缺少信息： 通过发现性访谈、市场调研或客户访谈填补空白，不要猜测。

Step 2: Draft the Value Proposition

步骤2：撰写价值主张

Fill in the template:
markdown
undefined
填写模板：
markdown
undefined

Value Proposition

价值主张

For [specific target customer/persona]
  • that need [statement of underserved need—focus on pains, gains, JTBD]
  • [product or service name]
  • is a [product category]
  • that [benefit statement—focus on outcomes, not features]

**Quality checks:**
- **Target specificity:** Could you describe this person to a recruiter? If not, narrow it.
- **Need clarity:** Does this need resonate emotionally? Or is it generic ("need efficiency")?
- **Category fit:** Does this category help or hurt you? (Sometimes creating a new category is strategic, but risky.)
- **Outcome focus:** Are you saying what the user *gets*, not what the product *has*?

---
针对 [特定目标客户/用户画像]
  • 他们的需求 [未被充分满足的需求——聚焦痛点、收益、用户待办任务]
  • [产品或服务名称]
  • 是一款 [产品类别]
  • 能够 [价值陈述——聚焦成果而非功能]

**质量检查：**
- **目标具体化：** 你能向招聘人员描述这类人群吗？如果不能，进一步缩小范围。
- **需求清晰度：** 这个需求能引发情感共鸣吗？还是过于泛泛（如“需要提升效率”）？
- **类别适配性：** 这个类别对你有帮助还是有害？（有时创建新类别是战略选择，但存在风险。）
- **成果聚焦：** 你是否在说用户能获得什么，而非产品拥有什么？

---

Step 3: Draft the Differentiation Statement

步骤3：撰写差异化声明

Fill in the template:
markdown
undefined
填写模板：
markdown
undefined

Differentiation Statement

差异化声明

  • Unlike [primary competitor or competitive alternative]
  • [product or service name]
  • provides [unique differentiation—outcomes, not features]

**Quality checks:**
- **Competitor honesty:** Is this the *real* alternative buyers consider? (Not just who you wish they compared you to.)
- **Differentiation substance:** Could a competitor copy this in 6 months? If yes, it's not durable differentiation.
- **Outcome framing:** Are you saying what users *achieve* differently, not just what you *do* differently?

---
  • 与 [主要竞品或替代方案] 不同
  • [产品或服务名称]
  • 具备 [独特差异化优势——聚焦成果而非功能]

**质量检查：**
- **竞品真实性：** 这是买家真正会考虑的替代方案吗？（不只是你希望他们对比的对象。）
- **差异化持久性：** 竞品能在6个月内复制这个优势吗？如果可以，这不是具备防御性的差异化。
- **成果导向：** 你是否在说用户能实现的不同成果，而非你做的不同之处？

---

Step 4: Stress-Test the Positioning

步骤4：压力测试定位

Ask these questions:
  1. Would a customer recognize themselves? Read the "For [target]" aloud. Does it feel specific or generic?
  2. Is the need defensible? Can you point to research, interviews, or data that validates this need?
  3. Does the category help or hurt? Does it anchor you against the right competitors? Or does it box you in?
  4. Is differentiation believable? Could you prove this claim with a demo, case study, or data?
  5. Does this guide decisions? If someone asked "Should we build feature X?" would this positioning help answer it?
If any answer is "no" or "sort of," revise.
提出以下问题：
  1. 客户能认出自己吗？ 大声朗读“针对[目标客户]”部分，是具体的还是泛泛的？
  2. 需求是否具备依据？ 你能指出验证这个需求的调研、访谈或数据吗？
  3. 类别是帮助还是阻碍？ 它是否让你与正确的竞品对标？还是限制了你的发展？
  4. 差异化是否可信？ 你能通过演示、案例研究或数据证明这个主张吗？
  5. 能否指导决策？ 如果有人问“我们应该开发功能X吗？”，这个定位能帮助回答吗？
如果任何问题的答案是“否”或“有点”，请修改。

Step 5: Socialize and Iterate

步骤5：沟通与迭代

  • Share with stakeholders: Founders, execs, product, marketing, sales
  • Test with customers: Read it aloud. Do they nod or look confused?
  • Refine ruthlessly: Positioning is never done on the first draft. Cut words, sharpen specificity, test alternatives.
  • 与利益相关者分享： 创始人、高管、产品、营销、销售团队
  • 与客户测试： 大声朗读给他们听，他们是点头认同还是感到困惑？
  • 无情地优化： 定位初稿永远不是最终版。精简文字、提升精准度、测试替代方案。

Examples

示例

See 
examples/sample.md
for full positioning examples.
Mini example excerpt:
markdown
**For** software development teams
- **that need** to reduce email overload and improve real-time collaboration
- Slack
- **is a** team messaging platform
- **that** centralizes communication and makes conversations searchable
查看
examples/sample.md
获取完整的定位示例。
简短示例节选：
markdown
**针对** 软件开发团队
- **他们的需求** 减少邮件过载并提升实时协作效率
- Slack
- **是一款** 团队消息平台
- **能够** 集中沟通并让对话可搜索

Common Pitfalls

常见陷阱

Pitfall 1: "For Everyone"

陷阱1：“针对所有人”

Symptom: "For businesses that want to grow" or "For anyone who uses software"
Consequence: No one feels like it's for them. Positioning becomes invisible.
Fix: Pick the first customer segment you'll serve. You can expand later, but positioning works when it's narrow.
症状： “针对想要增长的企业”或“针对所有使用软件的人”
后果： 没有人会觉得这是“为自己”设计的。定位变得毫无意义。
解决方法： 选择你要服务的第一个客户细分群体。之后可以拓展，但定位在精准聚焦时才有效。

Pitfall 2: Feature Creep in Benefit Statement

陷阱2：价值陈述中的功能堆砌

Symptom: "That provides AI, automation, analytics, and integrations"
Consequence: Sounds like a feature list, not a benefit. Buyers tune out.
Fix: Lead with the outcome: "That reduces churn by 30% through predictive analytics." The features are how, not why.
症状： “具备AI、自动化、分析和集成功能”
后果： 听起来像功能列表，而非价值。买家会忽略。
解决方法： 以成果为导向：“通过预测分析将客户流失率降低30%”。功能是实现方式，而非核心价值。

Pitfall 3: Imaginary Competitor

陷阱3：假想竞品

Symptom: "Unlike outdated legacy systems" or "Unlike traditional approaches"
Consequence: You're positioning against a straw man. Real buyers don't recognize this alternative.
Fix: Name the actual competitor or substitute behavior. If buyers use Excel, say "Unlike Excel." If they use a competitor, name them.
症状： “与过时的 legacy 系统不同”或“与传统方法不同”
后果： 你在与假想敌定位。真实买家不会认可这个替代方案。
解决方法： 说出实际的竞品或替代行为。如果买家使用Excel，就说“与Excel不同”。如果使用竞品，直接点名。

Pitfall 4: Differentiation Without Proof

陷阱4：无依据的差异化

Symptom: "Provides revolutionary AI" or "Delivers unmatched speed"
Consequence: Claims without evidence = marketing fluff. Buyers ignore it.
Fix: Make it falsifiable: "Provides 10x faster query performance than Snowflake on datasets under 1TB" (can be tested).
症状： “具备革命性AI”或“提供无与伦比的速度”
后果： 没有证据的主张只是营销噱头。买家会忽略。
解决方法： 使其可验证：“在1TB以下的数据集上，查询速度比Snowflake快10倍”（可测试）。

Pitfall 5: Category Confusion

陷阱5：类别混淆

Symptom: "Is a next-generation platform for digital transformation"
Consequence: Buyers don't know how to evaluate you. Category = mental shelf. No shelf = no sale.
Fix: Pick a category buyers already understand (CRM, analytics, messaging) OR commit to category creation (requires $$$ and time).
症状： “是下一代数字化转型平台”
后果： 买家不知道如何评估你。类别相当于心理货架——没有货架就无法销售。
解决方法： 选择买家已熟悉的类别（CRM、分析、消息平台），或者投入资源和时间创建新类别。

References

参考资料

Related Skills

相关技能

  • skills/problem-statement/SKILL.md
    — Defines the problem positioning addresses
  • skills/jobs-to-be-done/SKILL.md
    — Informs the "that need" statement
  • skills/proto-persona/SKILL.md
    — Defines the "For [target]" segment
  • skills/press-release/SKILL.md
    — Positioning informs press release messaging
  • skills/problem-statement/SKILL.md
    — 定义定位要解决的问题
  • skills/jobs-to-be-done/SKILL.md
    — 为“他们的需求”部分提供信息
  • skills/proto-persona/SKILL.md
    — 定义“针对[目标客户]”细分群体
  • skills/press-release/SKILL.md
    — 定位为新闻稿话术提供指导

External Frameworks

外部框架

  • Geoffrey Moore, Crossing the Chasm (1991) — Origin of this framework
  • April Dunford, Obviously Awesome (2019) — Modern positioning playbook
  • Al Ries & Jack Trout, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind (1981) — Foundational positioning theory
  • Geoffrey Moore, Crossing the Chasm (1991) — 该框架的起源
  • April Dunford, Obviously Awesome (2019) — 现代定位指南
  • Al Ries & Jack Trout, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind (1981) — 定位理论基础

Dean's Work

Dean的相关工作

  • [Link to relevant Dean Peters' Substack articles if applicable]
  • [如有相关Dean Peters的Substack文章链接，请在此处添加]

Provenance

来源

  • Adapted from 
    prompts/positioning-statement.md
    in the 
    https://github.com/deanpeters/product-manager-prompts
    repo.
Skill type: Component Suggested filename: 
positioning-statement.md
Suggested placement: 
/skills/components/
Dependencies: References 
skills/problem-statement/SKILL.md
, 
skills/jobs-to-be-done/SKILL.md
, 
skills/proto-persona/SKILL.md
  • 改编自
    https://github.com/deanpeters/product-manager-prompts
    仓库中的
    prompts/positioning-statement.md
    。
技能类型： 组件 建议文件名： 
positioning-statement.md
建议存放路径： 
/skills/components/
依赖项： 参考
skills/problem-statement/SKILL.md
, 
skills/jobs-to-be-done/SKILL.md
, 
skills/proto-persona/SKILL.md