position-lock
Brand positioning and messaging architecture engine that creates a defensible market position with cascading message hierarchy from tagline to feature copy. Use when: positioning, messaging, brand positioning, value proposition, messaging framework, how do we position, what is our message.
Position Lock (PRISM Framework)
Engineer a positioning architecture that is structurally defensible and cascades consistently from brand level down to feature level.
When to Use
- New product positioning
- Repositioning after market shift
- Messaging overhaul
- Pre-launch messaging lock
- Category creation strategy
What You'll Need
Critical inputs (ask if not provided):
- Product/company to position
- Target audience (primary persona)
- Top 2-3 competitors
Nice-to-have:
- Battle Scanner output (competitive positioning)
- Whitespace Finder output (opportunities to position around)
- Journey Architect output (persona needs at each stage)
Process
Step 1: Build the 4-Layer Positioning Stack
Layer 1: Category Design Decide your category strategy:
| Strategy | When to Use | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| Create new category | You are truly different, market is ready | High effort, highest leverage |
| Redefine existing category | Existing category is stale, you have a fresh angle | Medium effort |
| Compete within category | Category is well-understood, you have clear advantages | Lowest effort |
Layer 2: Strategic Narrative The "big idea" connecting your product to a larger market shift:
- NOT a feature story -- a worldview story
- Format: "The world is changing from [old way] to [new way]. [Product] is built for the new world."
- Must feel inevitable and bigger than your product
Layer 3: Value Proposition Matrix
| Value Type | Question It Answers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Functional | What does it DO? | "Automates X, reducing time by 80%" |
| Emotional | How does it make them FEEL? | "Confidence that nothing falls through cracks" |
| Social | How does it make them LOOK? | "Seen as innovative by leadership" |
| Economic | What does it SAVE/EARN? | "Saves $50K/year per team" |
Layer 4: Proof Architecture Map evidence to every value claim:
- Metrics and data points
- Customer case studies
- Third-party validation (analyst quotes, awards)
- Product demonstrations
Step 2: PRISM Scoring
Score your positioning (1-10):
| Dimension | Question | Scoring Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Proposition clarity | Can someone explain it in one sentence? | 1=confusing, 5=clear, 10=instantly obvious |
| Resonance | Does it connect to a felt pain? | 1=abstract, 5=relevant, 10=visceral "that's me" |
| Isolation | Could a competitor credibly claim the same? | 1=generic, 5=somewhat unique, 10=only we can say this |
| Substance | Is every claim backed by evidence? | 1=vapor, 5=some proof, 10=bulletproof evidence |
| Memorability | Is the language distinctive and sticky? | 1=forgettable, 5=decent, 10=quotable |
PRISM Score = average of all 5. Launch-readiness threshold: 7.0+
Step 3: Message Cascade Architecture
Build the L0-L5 hierarchy where every level ladders up:
| Level | What It Is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| L0 | Category declaration | "The AI-native project management platform" |
| L1 | Brand tagline | "Ship faster, stress less" |
| L2 | Strategic narrative | "Teams are drowning in tools. We built one that thinks." |
| L3 | Persona-specific value props (3-5) | "For PMs: Cut planning time by 60%" |
| L4 | Use-case messaging (per scenario) | "For sprint planning: AI suggests story points" |
| L5 | Feature-level proof points | "Auto-prioritization uses 12 signals to rank your backlog" |
Rule: Every lower level must ladder up. If L4 messaging contradicts L2, something is broken.
Step 4: Message Testing Plan
For each L1-L3 message variant:
- Hypothesis: "We believe [message A] will resonate more than [message B] because [reason]"
- Test method: A/B landing page, ad copy test, sales conversation test
- Success metric: Click-through rate, response rate, deal progression
- Sample size and timeline
Output
Save to outputs/positioning-[product]-[YYYY-MM-DD].md
Deliverables:
- Positioning Architecture: Full 4-layer stack with PRISM scores
- Message Cascade: Complete L0-L5 hierarchy
- Brand Voice Guidelines: Tone, vocabulary, and language rules
- Message Testing Plan: Prioritized variants with hypotheses
Chain Connections
- Next skill: Run
demand-engineto design demand gen campaigns using this messaging - Also feeds:
enablement-forge(positioning is the backbone of all sales materials),launch-command(positioning must be locked before launch),product-announcement(messaging powers the announcement) - Enhanced by: Run after
battle-scanner(competitive gaps inform positioning) andwhitespace-finder(opportunities define what to position around)