Start with Your Best Customers' Alternatives

The key to unlocking your product's unique differentiators is to understand what your best customers see as the true alternatives to your solution.

This is the starting point for the entire positioning process. Once you know what your customers are comparing you to, you can:

• Identify your unique attributes: What do you have that the alternatives don't?
• Articulate your value: How do your unique attributes translate into value for your customers?
• Choose the right market category: What market makes your value obvious?

Don't make the mistake of starting with your own assumptions about the competitive landscape. Start with your customers' perspective, and you will be on the right track to creating a powerful and effective positioning.

Related Concepts:

• The Customer's Perspective on Competitors is What Matters
• "What Would Customers Do Without You?"
• Focus on Your Best Customers' Alternatives
• The 10-Step Positioning Process