Decoding DNA: True Positioning & Messaging Wins
Learn the craft to truly connect ...
I've always been captivated by the stories that truly connect – those narratives that cut through the noise and resonate deeply. And at the heart of these connections lies powerful positioning and messaging.
Easier said than done, right? As product marketers, we're constantly striving to uncover those hidden traits that elevate messaging from good to magnetic.
I've shared frameworks and insights into how we approach this crucial aspect of product marketing.
Today, I want to delve deeper, reflecting on some of the key questions, drawing from my own experiences and observations.
Q1. Share a real-world example of a product or company communicate its value, simply and effectively it made you smile? What was so refreshing or memorable about their approach?
For me, good positioning and messaging are characterized by clarity, conciseness, and customer-centricity. It's about instantly understanding the value proposition and feeling like it speaks directly to your needs.
An example that made me smile was Insight Timer, and how it communicates value: "The world's largest free library of guided meditations."
What made this memorable is simplicity, boldness, and addressing common user friction points.
"The world's largest": Conveys authority, breadth, and unparalleled choice.
"free library": (game-changer and the smile-inducer) In a market, saturated with subscription-based meditation apps, leading with "free library" removes the barrier to entry – cost. It communicates accessibility and generosity as values.
"guided meditations": Manages expectations and ensure users know exactly what they're getting into.
It highlights competitive advantage (size and cost) while directly speaking to user desires (variety and accessibility).
It's not just a list of features; it's a promise of abundant, no-cost exploration, and makes a user feel like they've found a valuable, user-first resource.
Q2. Tell us about a time you had to significantly pivot product positioning/messaging due to market feedback. What triggered it and what was the new strategy?
Early in my career, we launched a B2B analytics platform positioned as a tool for data experts, emphasizing its complex analytical capabilities. Our initial traction was slow. The trigger was direct feedback from customers who, while needing insights, lacked the deep expertise we were targeting. They felt intimidated.
We pivoted to position as an "insights platform for business users," highlighting ease of use and actionable recommendations, without a data science background.
The new GTM focused on empowering business decisions with data, using simpler language and showcasing user-friendly visualizations. This shift increased adoption.
Q3. Describe a specific message or narrative you crafted that had a surprisingly strong impact (positive or negative). What did you learn about connecting with the audience?
I crafted a campaign for a developer tool that focused heavily on its cutting-edge technology and technical specifications. We assumed developers would be drawn to the most advanced features. However, the response was ok.
We then shifted the narrative to focus on time savings and increased productivity, emphasizing how it would free up their time to focus on complex tasks. This resonated much more strongly.
I learned that even with a technically savvy audience, the core message needs to address their immediate pain points and aspirations, not just the features themselves.
Q4. Share an example of a product that successfully differentiated itself in a competitive market. What messaging tactics did they use?
Slack Differentiation & Messaging:
Benefit-Driven & Aspirational: Positioned as "making work life simpler, more pleasant, and more productive" (e.g., "Be less busy," "Where work happens"), focusing on outcomes over features.
New Paradigm (Channels): Clearly articulated "channels" as the superior way to organize conversations, solving communication chaos.
Humanized B2B: Infused personality and humor into product and messaging, creating an emotional connection.
Ecosystem & Centralization: Emphasized extensive integrations, positioning Slack as the "central hub" for all work tools.
Slack differentiated by selling a better way to work – organized, delightful, and integrated – not just another chat app.
Q5. What are unconventional methods to deeply understand your audience and tailor messaging? Share a real example of a positioning breakthrough.
Beyond surveys, we conducted "a day in the life" persona interviews, shadowing potential customers to observe workflows, frustrations, and tools used. This immersive approach revealed nuances we wouldn't have captured through questionnaires.
Example: For a collaboration and team communication software, the biggest pain point wasn't just task management, but the stress caused by fragmented communication across multiple platforms.
This led to a positioning breakthrough emphasizing "seamless collaboration and reduced communication chaos," which resonated deeply with our target audience.
Q6. What market signals suggest it's time to refresh your core messaging? Share an instance where a market shift required a strategy change.
A key market signal is when win rates against competition start to decline, and the reasons cited by lost deals consistently point to a mismatch in perceived value or understanding of your offering.
Example: A competitor in the B2B SaaS space started heavily emphasizing AI-powered automation, and our traditional messaging around rule-based automation began to sound outdated.
This market shift forced us to rapidly update our messaging to highlight our own AI capabilities and articulate a clear vision for how AI would enhance our platform's value proposition, not just as a feature, but as an integral part of our future direction.
The craft of positioning & messaging is a continuous journey of learning, adapting, and truly understanding the needs and aspirations of your audience.
Join us at PMM Talks to explore real world examples of positioning and messaging.
Here's what to expect from the panel:
Real-world examples of effective communication and market adaptation.
Insights into connecting with audiences and the impact of messaging.
Discussions on pivoting strategies based on market signals.
