Positioning & Differentiation
Be the best for a specific who, need, and context.
Explanation
Marketing expert April Dunford explains that positioning isn't about being better than everyone—it's about being the obvious choice for a specific group of customers in a specific situation. You're not competing with all similar products, just the alternatives that your target customer actually considers. It's better to own a small niche than to be mediocre for everyone.
Real-World Example
Superhuman: Not 'better email.' Instead: 'Email for executives who get 100+ emails/day and need to hit inbox zero.' Feature decisions become obvious. Pricing ($30/month) makes sense. They said no to millions to be perfect for thousands.
How to Apply
Answer: 1) Who desperately needs this? 2) What would they use instead? 3) What's unique about our approach? 4) What features prove it? 5) What market category makes sense? Position against alternatives, not competitors. Test: Can customers explain your positioning to others?