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beginner · 3 hours

Brand Positioning 101

Learn brand positioning from scratch. Master positioning statements, competitor mapping, and mindshare testing in 3 hours — and produce your first positioning document.

Course Overview

For founders and marketers with zero brand-building experience. By the end, you'll have a completed brand positioning document ready for team alignment and investor communication.

Syllabus

Lesson 1: Understanding Brand Positioning (30 min)

  • What is brand positioning — deconstructed through 3 classic cases
  • Positioning ≠ Tagline — three verifiable criteria
  • Four elements: target user, market scope, differentiated value, trust signals

Lesson 2: Writing Positioning Statements (60 min)

  • Standard template: We help [who] achieve [what value], unlike [competitor], because [trust signal]
  • Follow-along exercise: complete your first positioning statement using your real business
  • Common mistakes: 8 typical error patterns and corrections

Lesson 3: Competitor Mapping (45 min)

  • 5-step method: Select → Classify → Benchmark → Find whitespace → Strategize
  • Draw your first Positioning Gap Map
  • How to judge whether whitespace is opportunity or trap

Lesson 4: Mindshare Testing (45 min)

  • What is "user mindshare" — rapid validation with category association testing
  • 5-minute quick test: find 5 target users, ask 3 questions
  • Analyzing results: is your positioning "unique" or "vague" in user minds

Tools Included

  • Positioning statement template (PDF + Notion)
  • Competitor whitespace map template
  • User mindshare testing questionnaire