🧭 Value Proposition vs. Positioning Statement: What’s the Difference (and How to Write Both)
If you've ever struggled to explain what your company does or why anyone should care, you're not alone. Two of the most important tools for defining your brand and making it resonate are:
- ✅ The Value Proposition
- ✅ The Positioning Statement
They’re often confused, but each serves a different (and powerful) purpose in how you talk about your product — both externally to customers and internally to teams.
🎯 What’s the Difference?
| Aspect | Value Proposition | Positioning Statement |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Convince customers to choose you | Align internal teams on brand strategy |
| Audience | External (customers, clients) | Internal (employees, partners) |
| Focus | Benefits, problems solved, uniqueness | Market category, audience, problem, differentiator |
| Length | Short (1–2 sentences) | Longer but focused |
| Usage | Website, ads, product pages | Brand guides, decks, internal strategy |
| Core Message | "Why choose us?" | "How we’re positioned and who we serve" |
✅ Positioning Statement Template
Use this when defining your place in the market. Great for brand workshops or internal strategy decks.
[Company Name] helps [Target Customer] [Verb] [Positive Outcome] through [Unique Solution] so they can [Transformation] instead of [Villain / Roadblock / Negative Outcome].
🧪 Example: Airtable
Airtable helps fast-moving teams organize work efficiently through a flexible, no-code database so they can launch projects faster instead of wasting time juggling spreadsheets and tools.
✅ Value Proposition Template
Use this when you need a customer-facing hook — for websites, emails, or product pages. Simple and clear.
We help [Target Customer] solve [Problem] by [Key Benefit / Solution], so they can [Achieve Desired Outcome].
🧪 Example: Grammarly
We help professionals and students improve their writing by offering real-time grammar and clarity suggestions, so they can communicate confidently.
📄 Copy-Paste Templates
Positioning Statement:
[Company Name] helps [Target Customer] [Verb] [Positive Outcome] through [Unique Solution] so they can [Transformation] instead of [Villain / Roadblock / Negative Outcome].
Value Proposition:
We help [Target Customer] solve [Problem] by [Key Benefit / Solution], so they can [Achieve Desired Outcome].
🧠 TL;DR — Think of it Like This:
- Value Proposition = Why customers choose you
- Positioning Statement = How your team frames you in the market
- Both are essential — one sells, the other guides
✍️ Want to Fill These Out Easily?
Would you like a pre-made Google Doc, Notion page, or Miro board version of these templates so your team can collaborate and build your brand strategy fast?
Just drop a message or leave a comment — we’ll send it your way!