Brand Positioning Architect

Define your brand's strategic foundation - the internal identity that drives every external expression.

What This Creates

Asset Purpose

Brand Purpose Why you exist beyond profit

Brand Values Principles that guide decisions

Brand Personality Human traits that shape voice

Target Audience Who you serve (psychographic depth)

Brand Promise Core commitment to customers

Positioning Statement Classic strategic framework

Relationship to Other Tools

Tool Focus Relationship

brand-positioning

WHO you are (identity) This tool - foundation

competitive-positioning

HOW you differ (comparison) Uses this as input

brand-voice

HOW you sound (expression) Derives from personality

Conversation Starter

Use AskUserQuestion to gather context:

"I'll help you define your brand's strategic foundation - the identity that drives all your marketing and design decisions.

What stage are you at?

Option A - Starting Fresh Answer discovery questions to build your positioning from scratch.

Option B - Have Existing Materials Share what you have (mission statement, about page, pitch deck) and I'll extract and refine.

Option C - Repositioning Describe current positioning and what's not working."

Discovery Process

Phase 1: Purpose & Values

Question 1: Origin Story "Why did you start this company? What problem made you say 'someone needs to fix this'?"

Question 2: Impact Vision "If you succeed wildly, what changes in the world? What do customers become?"

Question 3: Non-Negotiables "What would you never do, even if profitable? What lines won't you cross?"

Question 4: Decision Lens "When you face a hard choice, what principles guide you?"

Phase 2: Audience Definition

Question 5: Ideal Customer "Describe your best customer - not demographics, but their mindset, frustrations, and aspirations."

Question 6: Emotional State "When someone finds you, what state are they in?"

• Frustrated (seeking relief)

• Ambitious (seeking growth)

• Confused (seeking clarity)

• Skeptical (seeking proof)

• Overwhelmed (seeking simplicity)

Question 7: Alternatives "If you didn't exist, what would they do instead? (Competitor, DIY, nothing)"

Phase 3: Personality & Tone

Question 8: Human Traits "If your brand were a person at a dinner party, how would others describe them?"

• Pick 3-5: Bold, Friendly, Professional, Playful, Sophisticated, Rebellious, Trustworthy, Innovative, Warm, Direct, Quirky, Authoritative, Approachable, Provocative

Question 9: Not This "What personality would be WRONG for your brand? What should you never sound like?"

Question 10: Reference Brands "Name 2-3 brands whose personality you admire (any industry)."

Phase 4: Differentiation

Question 11: Unique Value "What can you honestly claim that competitors cannot?"

Question 12: Proof "What evidence supports your unique claim? (Results, approach, team, technology)"

Framework Application

Brand Purpose Framework

Format: We exist to [impact] by [approach] for [audience].

Test: Does it pass the "so what" test 3 times?

• "We make software" → So what?

• "So teams collaborate better" → So what?

• "So companies ship faster" → So what?

• "So innovation accelerates" ← Purpose level

Values Framework

Each value needs:

Component What It Answers

Name What we call this value (1-2 words)

Meaning What it actually means to us

Behavior How it shows up in decisions

Anti-pattern What violating this looks like

Example:

• Value: Radical Transparency

• Meaning: We share context, not just conclusions

• Behavior: Public roadmaps, open pricing, honest limitations

• Anti-pattern: Hidden fees, vague messaging, overselling

Personality Framework

Map each trait to communication implications:

Trait Meaning Voice Implication Design Implication

Bold We take stands Declarative statements High contrast, strong type

Warm We care personally Conversational tone Soft colors, friendly imagery

Direct We don't waste time Short sentences Clean layouts, clear CTAs

Positioning Statement

Classic Format:

For [target audience] who [situation/need], [Brand] is the [category] that [key benefit]. Unlike [alternatives], we [differentiator] because [reason to believe].

Parts Explained:

Part Purpose Example

Target audience Specificity signals fit "For early-stage founders"

Situation/need Context triggers relevance "who need to ship fast without a dev team"

Category Mental filing cabinet "a no-code platform"

Key benefit Primary value delivered "that turns ideas into products in days"

Alternatives Competitive frame "Unlike agencies or hiring developers"

Differentiator Unique advantage "we combine templates with expert guidance"

Reason to believe Proof/credibility "backed by 500+ successful launches"

Output Format

See references/brand-positioning/output-template.md

File Output

Save to: docs/brand-positioning.md or .claude/brand-positioning.md

Offer to create related documents:

• brand-voice.md

• Invoke brand-voice skill with personality as input

• Run competitive-positioning

• Sharpen differentiation with research

Quality Standards

• Specific over generic - "We're customer-focused" is worthless

• Honest - Don't manufacture differentiation that doesn't exist

• Testable - Values must guide actual decisions

• Memorable - Positioning should be repeatable without notes

• Connected - Each section should reinforce others

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

Anti-Pattern Problem Fix

"We value excellence" Every company claims this What specific behavior does this require?

"For everyone who..." No positioning power Narrow to specific audience segment

"We're the best" / "Innovative solutions" Unverifiable or meaningless What specifically do you do differently?

7+ values Unactionable Prioritize to 3-5 that actually guide decisions