Name the audience, narrowly
Not “small businesses”. Describe the people you most want, in a way you could find them.
Too broad
Adults in Bristol
Narrow enough
Adults in Bristol who haven’t seen a dentist in two years or more
How to write a positioning statement
The client says they’re different, but every claim they make is one a competitor makes too. A positioning statement forces the choice: who it’s for, what they need, and the one thing only this brand can say.
You’ll recognise it
- The brief lists eight “key differentiators”
- The client’s homepage could be a competitor’s with the logo swapped
- Everyone in the kick-off meeting described the brand differently
Why it happens
Positioning goes vague when it tries to please everyone. A good statement leaves things out: a narrower audience, one need, one difference, and the proof that makes it believable. It’s an internal tool, not a tagline, so it can be plain.
The approach
4 steps, in order
Each step gives the next one something to work with. The worksheet below follows the same order.
Say what they need
The job they’re trying to get done, or the problem they want gone. In their words, not the brand’s.
Brand-speak
Comprehensive anxiety-friendly treatment
Their words
To get checked without being told off
Pick the frame and the difference
What do they compare you to? Then the one thing you do that the others in that frame don’t.
Frame
Dental practice
Difference
Makes the first visit a chat, not a check-up
Add the proof
Why should anyone believe it? A fact, a number, or something the brand actually does.
Claim
We’re gentle
Proof
Since 2024, first visits happen in the office, not the chair
Worksheet
Build yours as you read
Fill in each step. Your positioning statement updates as you type. It stays in this browser until you choose to keep it.
More Strategy guides
Next problem?
Every page says something differentHow to build a simple messaging frameworkOne message, three pillars, real proofI’ve got research, but no insightHow to turn customer research into an insightFrom a pile of quotes to one useful truthEveryone in the category sounds the sameHow to audit what your competitors sayFind the claims nobody is making
Questions
Good to know
Is this the same as a tagline?
No. A positioning statement is for the team and the client. It guides every piece of copy, but you’d rarely publish it as written.
How long should it be?
One sentence. If it needs two, you haven’t chosen yet.
Do I need an account?
No. Your worksheet stays in this browser. Leave your email and we’ll send it as a PDF.
Who writes these guides?
ProCopywriters, the UK’s professional body for copywriters, with members who do this work every week.
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