Competitive Positioning

Use this skill to run Competitive Positioning as a practical consulting method, not as a generic framework explanation.

Method Notes

• Compare against direct competitors, substitutes, and the status quo.
• A differentiator must matter to the buyer and be credible to prove.

Required Inputs

Collect or infer these inputs before execution:

• offering
• target customer
• competitors or alternatives
• proof points

If an input is missing, do not block automatically. Mark it as missing, state the assumption used, and add a validation action.

When Not To Use

Do not use without a target segment, relevant alternatives, buying criteria, and evidence of why customers choose. Positioning is a defensible choice, not a slogan or feature inventory.

Adjacent Methods

• pestel-analysis: macro environment.
• porter-five-forces: industry economics.

Step-by-Step Execution

Output Template

### 1. Buyer And Choice Frame
Target buyer:
Decision situation:
Alternatives considered:
Evidence base:

### 2. Comparison
| Buyer criterion | Us | Alternative | Evidence | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |  |  |

### 3. Defensible Differentiation
| Differentiator | Why buyer cares | Proof | Competitor response risk |
|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |  |

### 4. Position And Validation
Positioning statement:
Proof needed next:
Buyer test:
Decision threshold:

### Evidence And Next Decision
- Confirmed facts:
- Assumptions:
- Missing evidence:
- Next action, owner, and timing:
- Expected signal and decision threshold:

Quality Gate

• Produce the method-specific outputs for Buyer And Choice Frame, Comparison, Defensible Differentiation; do not substitute a generic framework summary.
• Tie every material score, causal claim, or stakeholder judgment to evidence or label it as an assumption.
• Include at least one disconfirming check, sensitivity, alternative explanation, or failure condition appropriate to the method.
• Convert the result into a named action or decision with an owner or stakeholder, timing, and observable signal.
• State missing inputs and the smallest validation action instead of inventing precision.
• Keep wording professional and plain enough that a smart non-specialist can use the output directly.