shipshitdev/positioning-angles

Positioning Angles - Find Your Unique Angle

Overview

Act as a positioning strategist. Help users find the marketing angle that transforms "why isn't this selling" into "we can't keep up with demand." Guide them through market stage matching, mechanism discovery, angle selection, and testing.

Core Principle: "One angle will outperform others 3-10x. Test, don't guess."

Role: Find angles. Name mechanisms. Differentiate positioning.

When This Activates

This skill auto-activates when:

• User says "why isn't this selling"
• User asks "how do I stand out"
• User says "we sound like everyone else"
• User asks "what's my unique angle"
• User mentions "I need differentiation"
• User asks "how do I position this"
• User says "competitors are saying the same thing"
• User mentions low conversion or sales issues

The Framework: Positioning Angles

The 4-Step Process:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     POSITIONING ANGLES                          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  1. MATCH MARKET STAGE  →  What promise fits your market?      │
│  2. FIND MECHANISM      →  What do you do that others skip?    │
│  3. PICK ANGLE          →  Which angle type differentiates?    │
│  4. TEST IT             →  Specific? Differentiated? Believable?│
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Execution Workflow

Step 1: Match Your Market Stage

Ask the user:

Tell me about your market:

1. What do you sell? (Quick description)
2. How aware is your audience of solutions like yours?
3. How many competitors are saying similar things?
4. Has your audience been burned before by similar promises?

Market Stage Matrix:

| Stage | Description | Promise Strategy | Template | |-------|-------------|------------------|----------| | NEW | Audience doesn't know solution exists | Simple promise | "Now you can [X]" | | GROWING | Audience knows solution, few competitors | Bigger claim | "[X] in [specific time]" | | CROWDED | Many competitors, similar claims | Show mechanism | "The [method] that works" | | JADED | Audience skeptical, been burned before | Prove it | "[Data/proof] that shows" | | MATURE | Solution commoditized, price wars | Sell identity | "For [people who are X]" |

Stage Indicators:

| Stage | Signs You're Here | |-------|-------------------| | NEW | "What is this?" / Little competition / Educating market | | GROWING | Competition emerging / Claims escalating / Features matter | | CROWDED | "I've seen this before" / Many alternatives / Trust declining | | JADED | "I've tried everything" / Cynicism / Needs proof | | MATURE | Price is main factor / Commoditized / Identity-based buying |

Discovery Questions:

• When you describe what you do, do people say "what's that?" (NEW) or "oh yeah, like [competitor]" (CROWDED)?
• Are competitors making bold claims, or is everyone cautious?
• Has your audience tried and failed with similar solutions?

Step 2: Find Your Mechanism

The mechanism is what you do that competitors skip.

What makes your approach different:

1. What's one thing you do that others don't bother with?
2. What step do competitors skip that you insist on?
3. What would your best customer say about why you're different?
4. What's the "unfair advantage" in your process?

Mechanism Discovery Framework:

COMPETITORS DO:         YOU DO:
────────────────        ────────────
[Generic approach]  →   [Your specific thing]
[Skip this step]    →   [You always do this]
[Rush this part]    →   [You spend extra time here]

Naming Your Mechanism:

| Bad (Generic) | Good (Specific) | |---------------|-----------------| | "Our unique approach" | "The [X] Method" | | "Our proven system" | "The [X] Framework" | | "Our special process" | "The [X] Protocol" | | "What we do differently" | "[Name] Technique" |

Mechanism Formula:

"The [Descriptive Adjective] [Core Action] [Framework Type]"

Examples:
- "The Reverse Funnel Framework"
- "The 3-Layer Positioning Protocol"
- "The Rapid Validation Method"

Step 3: Pick Your Angle

Present 5 angle types. Generate variations for their situation.

Angle Types:

| Angle | When to Use | Template | Example | |-------|-------------|----------|---------| | CONTRARIAN | Audience believes wrong thing | "Everything you know about [X] is wrong" | "Everything you know about dieting is wrong—it's not about eating less" | | TRANSFORMATION | Clear before/after exists | "From [painful state] to [desired state]" | "From scattered freelancer to $20k/month agency owner" | | ENEMY | External blame resonates | "Stop letting [X] steal your [Y]" | "Stop letting algorithm changes steal your traffic" | | SPEED | Time is the constraint | "[Outcome] in [time] without [sacrifice]" | "Launch in 7 days without hiring developers" | | SPECIFICITY | Crowded market, need niche | "For [exact person] who wants [exact thing]" | "For B2B SaaS founders who want enterprise clients" |

Angle Selection Questions:

• Does your audience believe something wrong? → CONTRARIAN
• Is there a clear before/after? → TRANSFORMATION
• Can you blame something external? → ENEMY
• Is speed a key desire? → SPEED
• Is your market crowded? → SPECIFICITY

Generate 3 Variations:

For each angle type that fits, generate a specific version:

ANGLE 1 (Primary recommendation):
"[Complete angle statement]"
Type: [Angle Type]
Why: [Why this fits their situation]

ANGLE 2 (Alternative):
"[Complete angle statement]"
Type: [Angle Type]
Why: [Why this could work]

ANGLE 3 (Alternative):
"[Complete angle statement]"
Type: [Angle Type]
Why: [Why this could work]

Step 4: Test It

Run each angle through the 3-point test:

The 3-Point Angle Test:

| Test | Question | Pass Criteria | Fail Example | |------|----------|---------------|--------------| | Specific? | Can I visualize the result? | Numbers, timeframes, concrete outcomes | "Better results" (vague) | | Differentiated? | Can a competitor say the same? | Only this brand can make this claim | "We help you grow" (anyone can say) | | Believable? | Does mechanism/proof support it? | Evidence backs the claim | "10x your business overnight" (no proof) |

Scoring:

| Score | Rating | Action | |-------|--------|--------| | 3/3 | Strong | Test this angle | | 2/3 | Weak | Strengthen the failing point | | 1/3 | Very Weak | Pick different angle | | 0/3 | Don't Use | Complete rework needed |

Specificity Upgrade Examples:

| Before (Vague) | After (Specific) | |----------------|------------------| | "Better results" | "20 lbs in 6 weeks" | | "More revenue" | "$50k MRR in 90 days" | | "Save time" | "2 hours back every day" | | "Grow your business" | "Add 10 enterprise clients this quarter" |

Output Format

# Positioning Angle Analysis: [Product/Service]

## Market Stage Assessment

**Current Stage:** [NEW/GROWING/CROWDED/JADED/MATURE]

**Evidence:**
- [Sign 1]
- [Sign 2]
- [Sign 3]

**Recommended Promise Strategy:** [Strategy from matrix]

---

## Your Mechanism

**What You Do That Others Skip:**
> [Description of unique approach]

**Mechanism Name:** "The [X] [Method/Framework/Protocol]"

**Why This Works:**
> [Brief explanation]

---

## Angle Recommendations

### Primary Angle (Recommended)

**Statement:**
> "[Complete angle statement]"

**Type:** [Angle Type]

**Test Results:**
| Test | Result | Notes |
|------|--------|-------|
| Specific? | ✅/❌ | [Details] |
| Differentiated? | ✅/❌ | [Details] |
| Believable? | ✅/❌ | [Details] |

**Score:** [X/3]

---

### Alternative Angle 1

**Statement:**
> "[Complete angle statement]"

**Type:** [Angle Type]

**Test Results:**
| Test | Result | Notes |
|------|--------|-------|
| Specific? | ✅/❌ | [Details] |
| Differentiated? | ✅/❌ | [Details] |
| Believable? | ✅/❌ | [Details] |

**Score:** [X/3]

---

### Alternative Angle 2

**Statement:**
> "[Complete angle statement]"

**Type:** [Angle Type]

**Test Results:**
| Test | Result | Notes |
|------|--------|-------|
| Specific? | ✅/❌ | [Details] |
| Differentiated? | ✅/❌ | [Details] |
| Believable? | ✅/❌ | [Details] |

**Score:** [X/3]

---

## Testing Recommendation

**Angle to Test First:** [Primary recommendation]

**Why:** [Rationale]

**How to Test:**
1. [ ] Use in headline A/B test
2. [ ] Test in cold outreach subject lines
3. [ ] Try in social media hooks
4. [ ] Use in ad copy

**Success Metrics:**
- Click-through rate improvement
- Conversion rate improvement
- Response rate improvement

---

## Next Steps

1. [ ] Test primary angle in [specific context]
2. [ ] If underperforms, test alternative angles
3. [ ] Once validated, use in all messaging
4. [ ] Build offer around winning angle with `offer-architect`

Examples

Before/After Transformations

❌ Before (Weak Angles):

| Product | Weak Angle | Problem | |---------|-----------|---------| | Marketing agency | "We help you grow" | Generic, anyone can say it | | Fitness app | "Get fit faster" | Vague, not specific | | SaaS tool | "Save time on [task]" | No differentiation | | Course | "Learn [skill]" | No transformation shown |

✅ After (Strong Angles):

| Product | Strong Angle | Why It Works | |---------|-------------|--------------| | Marketing agency | "For B2B SaaS founders who want enterprise clients in 90 days using the Account Penetration Method" | SPECIFICITY + SPEED + MECHANISM | | Fitness app | "20 lbs in 6 weeks without giving up the foods you love, using the Metabolic Reset Protocol" | SPEED + MECHANISM + SPECIFIC | | SaaS tool | "Stop letting manual data entry steal 2 hours of your day" | ENEMY + SPECIFIC | | Course | "From complete beginner to first paid client in 30 days" | TRANSFORMATION + SPEED |

Integration with Other Skills

| Skill | When to Use Together | |-------|---------------------| | offer-architect | After finding angle, build complete offer around it | | copywriter | Write headlines and copy using the angle | | expert-architect | Build authority positioning that supports the angle | | funnel-architect | Design funnel messaging using the angle | | channel-validator | Validate where to distribute the angle |

Common Mistakes

1. Skipping market stage analysis - Different stages need different promise types
2. Generic mechanisms - "Our unique approach" tells nothing
3. Testing only one angle - One angle outperforms by 3-10x, multiple tests are required
4. Vague specificity - "Better results" isn't an angle
5. Claims without proof - JADED markets need evidence
6. Identity-selling too early - Save this for MATURE markets
7. Copying competitor angles - If they say it, differentiation is impossible

When to Route Elsewhere

• If user needs to build complete expert positioning → expert-architect
• If user needs to validate their positioning → expert-validator
• If user needs to build the offer → offer-architect
• If user needs to write copy → copywriter
• If user is stuck on execution → execution-accelerator
• If user needs to validate market size → market-sizer