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Brand, web & content

How do I position my startup so people instantly 'get' it?

Positioning is choosing the mental category you want to own and the competitive alternative you beat. April Dunford's method: figure out what you're better at, for whom, and what you replace, then say it plainly. Positioning is deliberate; if you don't set it, customers will guess and usually guess wrong.

Go deeper

2 resources.

📖 Book
Paid Intermediate

The best book on positioning against competitors by understanding the alternatives customers actually consider. Directly turns competitive research into a market advantage.

Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It

From aprildunford.com by April Dunford ~200 pages

  • Your real competition is often the status quo, not another product
  • Start positioning from the competitive alternatives your buyers consider
  • Differentiated value comes from your unique capabilities vs those alternatives
  • Choose the market frame that makes your strengths obvious
Open aprildunford.com →
📄 Article
Free Intermediate

Julian Shapiro's growth handbook frames brand and messaging as downstream of who you're for and what you replace, practical foundations, not brand theory.

Positioning (Startup Handbook: brand and marketing foundations)

From julian.com by Julian Shapiro 20 min read

  • Brand is a consistent promise and feeling, not a logo
  • Mine customer language from calls, reviews and communities
  • Nail who you're for before investing in visual polish
Open julian.com →

People also ask

What does 'branding' actually mean for an early-stage startup? 2 → Do I need to hire a designer for a logo, or can I DIY it? 2 → How did Indian brands like Zerodha build trust without huge ad budgets? 2 → How do I create a consistent visual identity (colours, fonts) without a designer? 2 → When is it worth investing real money in branding? 2 → How do I name my startup so it's not already taken, is available as a .com or .in, and doesn't get lost on Google? 3 →

Also in D2C

The same ground, over in Build your online store, our D2C track.

Which AI tool should I use to shoot clean product photos without renting a studio? 4 → Which Shopify theme should I pick for my store, and how much should I customize it? 3 →

Also in How Founders Use AI

How founders actually use AI for this, over in Content Creation.

Why use AI for blogs, newsletters, and social posts, and how do I avoid sounding like AI? 20 → How do top founders build content engines with AI (repurposing one idea into ten formats)? 18 →

Also in GTM

The same ground, over in Own the story, our GTM track.

What does category actually mean in go-to-market, and why does everyone keep telling me to pick one? 3 → Should we create a new category or just say we are a better version of something that already exists? 5 →
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