🧭 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 are:
- ✅ The Value Proposition
- ✅ The Positioning Statement
They’re often confused, but each serves a different purpose — both externally for customers and internally for 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, audience, problem, differentiator |
| Length | Short (1–2 sentences) | Longer but focused |
| Usage | Websites, ads, product pages | Brand decks, internal strategy |
| Core Message | “Why choose us?” | “How we’re positioned and who we serve” |
✅ Positioning Statement Template
Use this to define your place in the market — especially useful for brand workshops and internal alignment.
[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 juggling spreadsheets and tools.
✅ Value Proposition Template
Use this when you need a customer-facing hook — simple, clear, and direct.
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
- Value Proposition → Why customers choose you
- Positioning Statement → How your team frames you
- Both are essential — one sells, one guides
✍️ Want to Fill These Out Easily?
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