Olivine Workshops: Product Positioning & Messaging

Summary

This session dives into the fundamentals of product positioning and messaging. Through an interactive workshop, the speaker explains how to identify and communicate your product's value, with a focus on being specific and addressing customer pain points. Using examples like Uber and Listerine, the session highlights the importance of tailoring messaging to the stage of brand recognition, emphasizing the difference between positioning, messaging, and copywriting. The speaker provides key tips for crafting clear and targeted product messaging that resonates with your audience and drives engagement.

Takeaways

• 😀 Clear product positioning is critical for early-stage startups and helps define who you are, what you offer, and how you're different from the competition.
• 😀 Start with specific and clear messaging, especially when your brand is new or not widely recognized. Vague or overly aspirational messaging can confuse your audience.
• 😀 Positioning, messaging, and copywriting serve different purposes: positioning defines your place in the market, messaging communicates value, and copywriting expresses this creatively.
• 😀 Using real-life scenarios, like Cinderella needing immediate solutions, helps illustrate the importance of solving customers' immediate pain points first before selling aspirational benefits.
• 😀 Don’t be afraid to start with basic and clear messaging. For example, Uber's first website was direct and clear about its value proposition, even if it was visually basic.
• 😀 Understand your product's category and market recognition. If you're early-stage, focus on clear, specific positioning; if you're established, you can afford broader, more aspirational messaging.
• 😀 Great messaging speaks to the audience's 'jobs to be done'—their specific problems and how your product solves them, rather than abstract benefits.
• 😀 Test your messaging frequently. Experimenting with messaging in beta or smaller tests is more cost-effective than product experimentation and helps refine your approach.
• 😀 Positioning can change over time as your product or market evolves. Uber’s transition from 'private driver' to 'moving people' to 'Uber Eats' shows the importance of evolving positioning.
• 😀 Make your messaging singular and focused on your unique value proposition. Generic messages can lead to confusion and dilute your brand’s impact.
• 😀 Hard data and clear claims are powerful in messaging. Whenever possible, include ROI data or customer testimonials to support the benefits you're presenting.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the session described in the script?

The main focus is on product positioning and messaging. The session includes an introduction to key concepts, followed by an interactive workshop using a mirror board.

What exercise is used to help participants understand product positioning?

The exercise involves imagining oneself as Cinderella, whose dress is ruined by her stepsisters. A fairy godmother offers help, and participants are asked what would be the most convincing offer to solve Cinderella's immediate problem. The exercise emphasizes focusing on solving immediate pain points.

Why is 'living happily ever after' not the correct messaging for the fairy godmother's offer?

'Living happily ever after' is too aspirational and abstract. In this context, the most effective message would be a new dress and a ride to the ball because they address Cinderella's immediate, concrete problems.

What example does the speaker use to illustrate effective product positioning?

The speaker uses Uber's first website as an example. Uber's initial positioning as 'everyone's private driver' with clear value propositions like 'request from anywhere' and 'ride with convenience' was highly specific and effective, especially in the early days.

What mistake do brands often make when trying to position themselves?

Many brands make the mistake of using overly aspirational messaging, such as 'live happily ever after,' before their brand has gained recognition. This vague messaging can confuse potential customers who don't yet understand what the product does.

How does the speaker differentiate between positioning, messaging, and copywriting?

Positioning is about where a product fits in the market and who it serves. Messaging is the clear communication of what the product does and its value. Copywriting is the clever and creative way these messages are presented, often in taglines or advertisements.

What is an example of how a product's positioning can change over time?

Listerine is a great example. Originally, it was sold as a surgical antiseptic, then as a floor cleaner, and eventually as a mouthwash. Despite few changes to the product itself, the positioning and messaging around it evolved significantly.

What are some challenges in positioning new products?

New products often face challenges in defining their positioning because they may not fit neatly into a clear category. For example, products like Notion, Airtable, and Loom had difficulty in their early stages because they combined multiple functions, making it hard to communicate what they were and who should use them.

What is the importance of understanding the market category for product positioning?

Understanding the market category is essential for positioning because it provides a frame of reference for customers. A clear category helps potential users understand what the product is and how it relates to other offerings in the market.

What are the five steps in creating product positioning?

The five steps in creating product positioning are: 1) Let go of preconceived notions, 2) Isolate your uniqueness and find the story only you can tell, 3) Identify the value you provide to customers, 4) Understand your target personas, and 5) Define the market category you compete in.