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Companies assume different verticals require entirely different positioning. But if they're buying the same product, the underlying value is often the same (e.g., ensuring uptime for both retail and utilities). Differentiate with industry-specific examples, not a completely separate core positioning.

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As companies grow and add new product lines or target new segments, their once-sharp positioning becomes diluted. This happens because product marketing resources are not scaled to support each new business unit, ICP, and segment, leading to generic, ineffective messaging.

For companies with multiple products, positioning cannot begin until the go-to-market strategy is set. You must first decide if you have a lead "wedge" product with add-ons (like early Salesforce) or if you're selling an integrated platform. This foundational business decision precedes any messaging work.

Do not confuse positioning with product strategy. Strategy is the multi-year plan for what to build. Positioning is a tactical exercise to win against current competitors with the product you have right now. Positioning evolves as your strategy progresses.

Instead of debating whether Product Management or Product Marketing "owns" positioning, teams should treat it as a critical point of shared alignment. It's a collaborative space where the entire team agrees on the product's value and market strategy.

Niching down doesn't limit your market; it clarifies your value proposition for an ideal customer. This extreme specificity about your product's strengths and weaknesses also appeals to a much larger adjacent audience, who can now confidently evaluate your trade-offs and decide to buy.

Many founders conflate their brand with their first product. A successful company requires a broader brand positioning that can accommodate future products. This prevents the business from getting stuck as a single-product entity and enables long-term growth and category expansion.

For products with multiple use cases, like Salesforce, content must reflect the buyer's specific role. To a Chief Data Officer, Salesforce is an order management tool; to a Head of IT, it's a customer service automation tool. This targeted positioning is crucial for creating effective bottom-of-funnel content.

For companies with multiple products, the initial step isn't the positioning exercise itself. It's deciding what to position. This choice—company, lead "land" product, or full suite—depends on your sales motion (e.g., land-and-expand vs. platform sell) and must be made upfront.

Nearly every B2B tool can claim it saves time or increases revenue. Leading with these generic outcomes is why so many B2B websites sound the same. True differentiation happens at a more specific benefit layer, like a time tracker promising to "know exactly where your team's time is going."

A common marketing mistake is being product-centric. Instead of selling a pre-packaged product, first identify the customer's primary business challenge. Then, frame and adapt your offering as the specific solution to that problem, ensuring immediate relevance and value.