Positioning statement:
For [target] who [need], [product] is a [category] that [benefit]. Unlike [alternative], our product [differentiator].
Value-based pricing: Price at 10-20% of quantified value delivered
Opportunity score: /100 across Market Fit, Technical Fit, GTM Fit, Personal Fit, Economics
ICP documented with scoring criteria (firmographics, technographics, psychographics) Positioning statement follows April Dunford framework Pricing anchored to quantified value (not cost-plus) Tier structure follows Good/Better/Best with clear feature gates Opportunity scoring identifies red flags and good signals Battle cards created for top 3 competitors Launch checklist completed (pre-launch, launch, post-launch)
Quick Reference Framework Purpose When to Use ICP Development Define ideal customer Before any outreach Positioning Differentiate in market Product launch, pivot Messaging Hierarchy Consistent communication Sales enablement Competitive Intel Understand landscape Deal strategy, positioning Value-Based Pricing Price by value delivered Setting initial prices Tier Structure Package offering Feature gating decisions Opportunity Scoring Evaluate fit New client/project decisions Part 1: Go-To-Market Strategy ICP Development Framework Three Dimensions of ICP icp_framework: firmographics: - company_size: "50-500 employees" - revenue_range: "$10M-$100M ARR" - industry: ["Primary vertical", "Secondary vertical"] - geography: "North America" - growth_stage: "Series A-C or profitable"
technographics: - current_stack: ["CRM", "ERP", "Industry tools"] - tech_maturity: "Mid - has CRM, considering automation" - integration_needs: ["ERP", "Accounting", "Field Service"] - cloud_adoption: "Hybrid or cloud-first"
psychographics: - pain_awareness: "Problem-aware, solution-seeking" - change_readiness: "Has budget, executive sponsor" - buying_process: "Committee (3-5 stakeholders)" - risk_tolerance: "Moderate - needs proof points"
ICP Scoring Template
Criterion Weight Score (1-5) Weighted
Company size fit 20%
Industry match 20%
Tech stack compatibility 15%
Pain point alignment 25%
Budget availability 20%
Total 100%
Tiers: 80+ = Ideal | 60-79 = Good Fit | 40-59 = Marginal | <40 = Poor Fit
Positioning Framework April Dunford's Positioning Canvas
[Product] Positioning Statement
Competitive Alternatives: What would customers use if we didn't exist?
[List 2-3 alternatives]
Unique Attributes: What do we have that alternatives don't?
[List differentiators]
Value: What capability do those attributes enable?
[Translate features to benefits]
Target Customers: Who cares most about this value?
[Specific customer characteristics]
Market Category: What context makes our value obvious?
[Category or create new one]
Positioning Statement Template For [target customer] who [statement of need], [product name] is a [market category] that [key benefit/differentiation]. Unlike [competitive alternative], our product [primary differentiator].
Messaging Hierarchy Level 1: Strategic Narrative (Company) ├── Who we are ├── What we believe └── Why we exist
Level 2: Solution Messaging (Product) ├── What it does ├── Key differentiators (3 max) └── Proof points
Level 3: Persona Messaging (Audience) ├── Pain points by role ├── Value props by role └── Objection handling by role
Persona Messaging Matrix Persona Pain Points Value Props Proof Points CFO Cost visibility, compliance ROI, audit trail Case study: 30% savings Ops Director Manual processes, errors Automation, accuracy Demo: 10x faster End User Clunky tools, training Easy to use, mobile G2 reviews: 4.8/5 Competitive Intelligence Battle Card Structure
Competitor: [Name]
Overview
- Founded: YYYY | HQ: Location | Funding: $XXM
- Target market: [description]
- Pricing: [model and range]
Strengths (acknowledge honestly)
- [Strength 1]
- [Strength 2]
Weaknesses (our opportunities)
- [Weakness 1 -> our advantage]
- [Weakness 2 -> our advantage]
Common Objections When We Compete
| Objection | Response |
|-----------|----------|
| "They're cheaper" | [Value-based response] |
| "They have feature X" | [Alternative or roadmap] |
Win Strategy
- Lead with [differentiator]
- Demonstrate [proof point]
- Reference [customer story]
Channel Strategy GTM Motion Selection Motion Best For CAC Sales Cycle Team Product-Led Low ACV (<$5K), self-serve Low Days Growth Sales-Assisted Mid ACV ($5-50K) Medium Weeks SDR+AE Enterprise High ACV ($50K+) High Months AE+SE Partner/Channel Geographic expansion Variable Variable Partner Mgr Launch Playbook Checklist
Pre-Launch (T-30 days)
- [ ] ICP documented and validated
- [ ] Positioning finalized
- [ ] Messaging hierarchy complete
- [ ] Battle cards created
- [ ] Sales enablement materials ready
- [ ] Pricing approved
Launch Week
- [ ] Press release distributed
- [ ] Website updated
- [ ] Sales team trained
- [ ] Customer references lined up
- [ ] Outbound sequences activated
Post-Launch (T+30 days)
- [ ] Win/loss analysis started
- [ ] Messaging refinement based on feedback
- [ ] Pipeline review
- [ ] Competitive response documented
Part 2: Pricing Strategy Pricing Models Overview Pricing Model Best For Complexity Flat rate Simple products Low Per seat Team collaboration tools Medium Usage-based APIs, infrastructure High Tiered Feature differentiation Medium Hybrid Enterprise SaaS High Value-Based Pricing Process value_pricing_steps: 1_understand_value: - "What problem does this solve?" - "What's the cost of the problem?" - "What's the value of the solution?"
2_quantify_value: - "Time saved x hourly rate" - "Revenue increased" - "Costs avoided" - "Risk mitigated"
3_capture_value: - "Price at 10-20% of value delivered" - "Anchor to alternatives" - "Leave money on table for adoption"
4_communicate_value: - "ROI calculators" - "Case studies with numbers" - "Value-based proposals"
Value Calculation Template
Value Calculation: [Product/Service]
Time Savings
- Hours saved per week: __
- Hourly rate of user: $__
- Weekly savings: $__
- Annual savings: $__
Revenue Impact
- Additional deals/month: __
- Average deal value: $__
- Monthly revenue increase: $__
- Annual revenue increase: $__
Cost Avoidance
- Errors prevented: __
- Cost per error: $__
- Annual savings: $__
Total Annual Value: $__
Suggested Price Point
- 10% of value: $__/year
- 15% of value: $__/year
- 20% of value: $__/year
Tiered Pricing Structure Good/Better/Best Framework
Tier Structure
Good (Entry)
Price: $X/month Target: [Entry segment] Core value: [Primary use case] Limitations: [What's not included]
Better (Growth) <- ANCHOR
Price: $Y/month (most popular) Target: [Primary segment] Core value: [Expanded use cases] Includes: Everything in Good, plus: - [Feature 1] - [Feature 2] - [Feature 3]
Best (Scale)
Price: $Z/month or Custom Target: [Enterprise segment] Core value: [Full platform] Includes: Everything in Better, plus: - [Advanced feature 1] - [Advanced feature 2] - [Enterprise requirements]
Feature Gating Strategy feature_gating: gate_by_scale: - "Number of users" - "Number of projects" - "API calls" - "Storage"
gate_by_sophistication: - "Advanced features in higher tiers" - "Integrations at higher tiers" - "Automation at higher tiers"
gate_by_control: - "Admin controls" - "SSO/SAML" - "Audit logs" - "Custom roles"
never_gate: - "Security features" - "Core functionality" - "Data export"
Pricing Psychology pricing_psychology: anchoring: principle: "First price seen influences perception" application: "Show enterprise tier first, or '60% choose Pro'"
decoy_effect: principle: "Irrelevant option changes preference" application: "Add tier that makes target tier look good"
price_ending: principle: "9s feel like deals, 0s feel premium" application: "$99 for SMB, $100 for enterprise"
bundling: principle: "Bundles feel like better value" application: "Package features vs. selling a la carte"
annual_discount: principle: "Upfront commitment = better terms" application: "20% discount for annual (2 months free)"
Discounting Strategy discount_types: volume: trigger: "Commitment to scale" range: "10-30%" example: "20% off for 100+ seats"
term: trigger: "Annual commitment" range: "15-25%" example: "2 months free on annual"
competitive: trigger: "Switching from competitor" range: "20-40%" example: "Match remaining contract"
strategic: trigger: "Reference customer, logo value" range: "Up to 50%" example: "Name brand + case study"
When NOT to Discount Customer hasn't articulated value No competitive pressure Early in negotiation Customer is price shopping Deal doesn't meet minimum size
Alternatives to Discounting:
Extended payment terms Additional services/training Extended trial Success milestones unlock features Multi-year lock-in Part 3: Opportunity Evaluation Brainstorming Lens
I'm a sounding board, not a scorecard. I'll help you:
Think out loud about what excites you (and what doesn't) Spot patterns you might be missing Ask the uncomfortable questions early Explore angles you haven't considered Key Evaluation Angles For Project Ideas Angle What to Consider Excitement What specifically pulls you toward this? Fit Does this build on what you're already doing? Effort What would this actually take to build/ship? Learning What new skills or knowledge would you gain? Alternatives What else could you do with this time/energy? Worst Case If this totally fails, what happens? For Potential Clients/Customers Angle What to Consider Fit Are they your kind of customer? Red Flags Anything that makes you pause? Relationship How did they find you? Who referred them? Budget Can they actually pay for what they need? Scope Is this a one-off or could it grow? Exit How easy would it be to part ways if needed? For Partnerships/Collaborations Angle What to Consider Alignment Do you want the same things? Contribution What does each side bring? Dependencies What happens if they don't deliver? Upside What does success look like for you specifically? Downside What's the realistic worst case? Track Record Have they done this before? Quick Opportunity Score Section Points Weight Market Fit /25 Problem clarity, market size, timing Technical Fit /20 Can build it, infrastructure, maintenance GTM Fit /20 Sales complexity, channel access, competition Personal Fit /20 Interest, growth, lifestyle Economics /15 Revenue potential, time to revenue, risk/reward Total /100
Interpretation:
80-100: STRONG PURSUE - Prioritize this 60-79: EXPLORE - Worth time investment 40-59: CONDITIONAL - Only if specific factor changes 0-39: PASS - Opportunity cost too high Red Flags to Watch
These aren't deal-breakers, but point them out:
Unclear who's paying or how Scope that keeps expanding before you start "We'll figure out the details later" on important things Pressure to decide quickly without good reason Misalignment between what they say and what they do You're more excited than they are The economics don't make sense even optimistically Good Signals Clear problem with clear customer Builds on what you already know/have You'd do a version of this anyway The timing makes sense for you Reasonable worst case Good people involved Learning opportunity even if it fails GTM Complexity Levels Level Buyer ACV Cycle Solo Fit 1: PLG Individual <$2K Days Excellent 2: Low-Touch Manager $2-15K 1-4 weeks Excellent 3: Mid-Market Director/VP $15-100K 1-3 months Good 4: Enterprise C-suite $100K-1M 6-18 months Moderate 5: Complex Board $1M+ 12-36 months Low Reference Files reference/gtm.md - ICP templates, launch playbooks, channel strategy reference/pricing.md - Models, value-based pricing, psychology reference/opportunity.md - Scoring, unit economics, complexity