# Brand messaging and positioning Human Guide

## What This Is For
Comprehensive brand messaging, positioning, and value proposition development using proven frameworks including Peep Laja Message Layers, Osterwalder Value Proposition Canvas, Geoffrey. It gives the agent a clearer input/output frame for brand and messaging: what context to ask for, what decisions to make, and what usable artifact to return.

Use this as a human-readable version of the Brand messaging and positioning agent skill. It is meant for marketers, operators, founders, and other non-coders who want the workflow without reading agent-specific implementation instructions.

## When To Use This
- Use this when you need a repeatable process for brand messaging and positioning.
- Use this when the task needs judgment, examples, constraints, or a clear output format rather than a one-off prompt.
- Use this when you want to hand an AI assistant enough context to produce a usable marketing artifact.

## When Not To Use This
- Do not use this when you only need a quick factual answer.
- Do not use this when the work depends on private data you cannot share with the assistant.
- Do not use this as a replacement for legal, compliance, financial, or medical review.

## What You Need Before Starting
- The goal or business outcome you want.
- The audience, customer segment, or market context.
- Any source material the assistant should respect, such as notes, briefs, examples, URLs, or brand guidance.
- Constraints such as tone, length, channel, deadline, region, or approval requirements.
- A clear definition of what a good final answer should look like.

## Step-By-Step Workflow
1. State the job clearly: "Use the Brand messaging and positioning guide to help me with..."
2. Add context: audience, goal, offer, channel, source material, and constraints.
3. Ask the assistant to identify missing inputs before producing the final output.
4. Have the assistant follow the skill-specific guidance below.
5. Review the result against the final checklist and ask for revisions where needed.

## Skill-Specific Guidance
- Strategic positioning (category, ICP, differentiation, competitive alternatives)
- Messaging architecture (Messaging House, pillars, proof points)
- Value proposition frameworks (Osterwalder, Jobs-to-be-Done, Geoffrey Moore)
- StoryBrand narrative structure (SB7 framework)
- Brand identity and visual standards
- Copy primitives (one-liner, tagline, elevator pitch)
- Brand guidelines and design systems
- "We need clearer positioning and messaging"
- "Create a value proposition / messaging hierarchy"
- "People don't 'get it' — our message isn't resonating"
- "Develop brand guidelines and visual identity"
- "Write a StoryBrand script / one-liner / elevator pitch"

## Decision Points And Nuance
The original skill emphasizes: Workspace Context, Operating Contract, Scope, Key Distinction: Positioning vs. Messaging vs. Value Proposition, The Messaging House Framework, Peep Laja's Message Layers, Value Proposition Canvas (Osterwalder), Geoffrey Moore Positioning Statement, April Dunford's Five Components, StoryBrand Framework (SB7).

Use these questions to steer the work:
- What is the intended audience or buyer?
- What source material must be preserved?
- What should the assistant optimize for: clarity, persuasion, accuracy, speed, creativity, or conversion?
- What examples represent the desired quality bar?
- What should the assistant avoid?

## Common Mistakes
- "People don't 'get it' — our message isn't resonating"
- │ The single most important thing │
- Based on thousands of B2B message tests — each layer must be addressed in order:
- > **Critical:** Clear each layer before the next one matters. Brilliant differentiation means nothing if prospects don't understand what you are.
- **That Helps Them Avoid Failure**...
- "We'll never pressure you to buy"
- Usage guidelines (do's and don'ts)
- | **Simon Sinek** | "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." |

## Copy-And-Paste Prompt
```text
Use the Brand messaging and positioning human guide.

My goal:
[Describe the business outcome]

Audience:
[Describe who this is for]

Context and source material:
[Paste notes, examples, links, or existing copy]

Constraints:
[Tone, length, channel, timeline, must-include items, must-avoid items]

Before producing the final output, ask me for any missing information that would materially improve the result.
```

## Final Checklist
- [ ] The output matches the original goal.
- [ ] The audience and context are reflected in the answer.
- [ ] Important constraints and source material were preserved.
- [ ] The assistant made the relevant decisions explicit.
- [ ] The final artifact is ready to use, review, or hand to the next person.

## Source
This guide was generated from the manojbajaj95/claude-gtm-plugin skill entry for `brand-messaging-and-positioning`.

## Source Skill Notes
These notes preserve the nuance from the original skill. Use them as supporting reference when the workflow above feels too generic.

# Brand Messaging and Positioning

## Workspace Context

Read bootstrap context before asking questions: `strategy/brand.md` for brand, audience, offer, channels, tools, constraints, and metrics; `about/me.md` for personal voice; `content/ideas.md` and `content/calendar.md` for content planning. Use legacy product-marketing context files only as fallback. Save generated drafts to `content/<platform>/drafts/YYYY-MM-DD_short-topic-slug.md`, and route durable learnings back to `strategy/brand.md`, `about/me.md`, or `content/ideas.md`.

## Operating Contract

This skill is self-contained for its frontmatter scope: use its local instructions, references, scripts, and assets as the playbook; ask only for missing task-specific inputs; hand off to adjacent skills instead of expanding scope; and return an actionable artifact, decision, plan, draft, or diagnostic.


Develop comprehensive brand messaging, positioning, and identity systems using established frameworks from leading strategists.

> "A brand is not what you say it is. It's what THEY say it is." — Marty Neumeier

## Scope

**Covers:**
- Strategic positioning (category, ICP, differentiation, competitive alternatives)
- Messaging architecture (Messaging House, pillars, proof points)
- Value proposition frameworks (Osterwalder, Jobs-to-be-Done, Geoffrey Moore)
- StoryBrand narrative structure (SB7 framework)
- Brand identity and visual standards
- Copy primitives (one-liner, tagline, elevator pitch)
- Brand guidelines and design systems

**Use when:**
- "We need clearer positioning and messaging"
- "Create a value proposition / messaging hierarchy"
- "People don't 'get it' — our message isn't resonating"
- "Develop brand guidelines and visual identity"
- "Write a StoryBrand script / one-liner / elevator pitch"
- "Build a Positioning & Messaging Pack"

**Not for:**
- Deciding what to build (use problem definition/strategy first)
- Copyediting existing content without positioning changes
- Tasks without defined ICP or competitive context

## Key Distinction: Positioning vs. Messaging vs. Value Proposition

| Element | Definition | Answers | Audience |
|---------|------------|---------|----------|
| **Positioning** | Strategic foundation for perception | "Why choose us?" | Internal |
| **Messaging** | Content communicating positioning | "What do we say?" | External |
| **Value Proposition** | Promise of value delivered | "What do I get?" | External |

**How they work together:**
- Positioning determines WHAT makes you different
- Messaging translates that into WHAT you say
- Value Proposition explains WHAT customers gain

## The Messaging House Framework

```
        ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
        │              THE ROOF                    │
        │    [Core Message / Value Proposition]    │
        │   The single most important thing        │
        └─────────────────────────────────────────┘
                         │
    ┌────────────────────┼────────────────────┐
    │                    │                    │
    ▼                    ▼                    ▼
┌─────────┐        ┌─────────┐        ┌─────────┐
│ PILLAR 1│        │ PILLAR 2│        │ PILLAR 3│
│ [Theme] │        │ [Theme] │        │ [Theme] │
└────┬────┘        └────┬────┘        └────┬────┘
     │                  │                  │
     ▼                  ▼                  ▼
[Proof Points]    [Proof Points]    [Proof Points]
        ┌────────────────┴────────────────────┐
        │          THE FOUNDATION              │
        │    [Purpose, Vision, Values]         │
        └─────────────────────────────────────┘
```

## Peep Laja's Message Layers

Based on thousands of B2B message tests — each layer must be addressed in order: