How to occupy a specific, defensible position in a buyer's mind — and write the words that hold it.
Positioning is the strategic decision that makes everything else in marketing more effective — or less. This course covers category design, JTBD research, competitive differentiation, messaging hierarchies, and ICP definition, then ends with a full positioning sprint that produces a real positioning document for a real product.
Built by Lakshya Kumar
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I am learning product positioning and messaging — how to define a defensible market position, conduct JTBD research, identify competitive differentiation, build a messaging hierarchy, and write a positioning statement. Help me apply these frameworks to a real product.
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Sign in to applyComplete all modules, then submit the required number of capstone projects. Each must earn a passing rating from an admin reviewer.
Produce a complete positioning document for a real product: JTBD research (3 customer interviews minimum), competitive 2x2 map, ICP with exclusion criteria, positioning statement (Geoffrey Moore template), 3-level messaging hierarchy, and a stakeholder alignment memo explaining how each decision was made and what data supports it.
Design a new category for a product (yours or a chosen one). Define the problem it solves, why existing categories don't fit, the alternatives, and a 1-page category narrative. Test it via 5 customer-style interviews (or roleplays) and refine based on feedback.
Run 5 jobs-to-be-done style interviews with real users (or simulated personas if not available). Synthesize the jobs into a clear hierarchy, identify the dominant job, and produce a 1-page positioning statement grounded in the interview data.
Take 5 direct competitors and tear down their positioning + messaging: claimed primary alternative, claimed differentiation, evidence used. Produce a comparison matrix and identify the 'whitespace' a new entrant could credibly own.
Build a messaging house (overall positioning -> pillars -> proof points -> RTBs) for a product. Each proof point must be backed by actual evidence (data, customer quote, demo, certification). Audit your house against a 'random reader' test: would a stranger believe it?
The foundational Jobs-to-be-Done research framework.