GTM Positioning Skill

A framework-based skill for B2B product positioning, GTM strategy selection, and website messaging. Based on the Fletch framework by Anthony Pierri.

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When to use which framework

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1. Positioning Strategy

Pick one of three before writing any copy.

Strategy 1: Position in a mature category

• Use when: The category already exists and has mind share (CRM, project management, video conferencing)
• Reference point: The category name itself
• Competitive alternative: Other vendors in the category
• Target customer: People already shopping for the category
• Advantage: No education needed; budget already exists
• Risk: You're fighting established players directly
• Examples: Figma, Zoom, Salesforce, Workday, Snowflake

Strategy 2: Position in an immature/emerging category

• Use when: The category is forming but not dominant yet
• Reference point: The job-to-be-done of the emerging category
• Competitive alternative: The status quo way people do the JTBD — not a named vendor
• Target customer: People doing the JTBD who don't know a category exists yet
• Advantage: Less direct vendor competition; growing categories attract VC/press attention
• Risk: You inherit the market's opinion of the category; categories can fizzle
• Examples: DocuSign, Dropbox, Google, Uber, Tesla, Slack, 1Password

Strategy 3: Create a new category

• Use when: You're solving a JTBD no one has named yet, or existing categories would limit your story
• Reference point: The JTBD of your choosing — you design it
• Competitive alternative: The status quo way people do your chosen JTBD
• Target customer: People doing the JTBD you selected
• Advantage: Design the category from scratch; distribution headstart before others join
• Risk: Picking the right JTBD is hard; first mover rarely wins the category long-term
• Examples: eBay, VMware, Red Bull, Xerox, Brex, Clay

Decision rule: Pick Strategy 1 if you have resources to compete head-to-head. Pick Strategy 2 if the category will grow and you can become a leader as it solidifies. Pick Strategy 3 only if you're willing to play the long game and believe categorizing yourself in an existing bucket hurts more than it helps.

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2. GTM Strategy Types

Driven by how specific you're willing to be on use case. This determines everything about your messaging and channel strategy.

Recommendation: Most early-stage startups should start Vertical. Nail one use case for one segment before expanding. The others are valid but require more GTM complexity and usually come after finding initial traction.

Important: The same product can have a completely different GTM. Positioning is not about changing the roadmap — it's about choosing which segment and use case to lead with. Slack, Discord, and Teams have nearly identical features but completely different positioning (target ICP, alternatives, problem framing, benefit).

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3. Website Messaging Guide

Each page has one job. Get the front-door pages right first — they determine whether anyone ever sees the rest.

Front door pages — get these right first

Exploration pages — prospects go here after the front door works

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4. Persona-Based Messaging

In B2B, multiple people touch a buying decision. Each needs their own message.

For each persona, map: Context → Problem → Capability → Benefit

How to fill in the matrix

For each persona:

1. Context: What is their daily reality? What are they always trying to do?
2. Problem: What specific friction or failure does your product address for them?
3. Capability: What can they now do that they couldn't before?
4. Benefit: What outcome does that capability deliver that they actually care about?

This matrix powers your persona pages, sales decks, outbound sequences, and ad copy.

Bottom-up vs top-down motion

Bottom-up (PLG): Lead with the User persona. Win the person doing the work first. They pull the product up to their lead. Your homepage hero talks to the daily pain, your CTA is low-commitment (try free, not book a demo).

Top-down (enterprise sales): Lead with the Decision Maker. Win the person who controls budget. Your homepage hero talks to org-level outcomes, your CTA is a conversation (book a demo, talk to us).

Pick one motion and commit. Trying to do both on one homepage dilutes both messages.

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5. Marketing Assets by Awareness Stage

Match the content to where the buyer actually is. The wrong content at the wrong stage gets ignored.

Key insight: Your actual TAM is only the Problem Aware layer — not everyone with the problem. The Problem Unaware layer is much larger but they're not in market. You're playing a long game with them through content, not ads.

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6. Value Prop Variations by Awareness Stage

The same product needs different messaging depending on where the buyer is. One homepage is a trap.

How to use this in practice

For ads and cold outbound: Lead with the alternative or the problem. Don't open with your product name.

For landing pages from branded search: Lead with capability or feature. They already know you.

For persona pages: Match the awareness stage of that segment. Enterprise buyers are often more problem aware; power users are often product aware.

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Output format

When applying this skill:

1. Identify first: What's the product? Which positioning strategy? Which GTM type? Bottom-up or top-down?
2. Map the ICP: Who is the primary buyer? What awareness stage are they likely at?
3. Draft the message: Use the right framework for the channel or page type
4. Check the copy: Does it lead with the right thing for the awareness stage? Does each persona get their own message?

Produce output as structured copy blocks with clear labels, not paragraphs of prose. Make it easy to drop into a page or doc.

Homepage copy block structure

HERO
Headline: [Capability + Use Case — short, punchy, no product name required]
Subhead: [Who it's for + the problem it solves — 1 sentence]
CTA primary: [Action verb + specific outcome — not "Learn More"]
CTA secondary: [Low-friction alternative — "See how it works"]
Note: [Remove friction — "No credit card needed", "Takes 15 minutes"]

PROBLEM SECTION
[Name the daily pain in the customer's language — validate before selling]
[2-3 specific scenarios that make them feel seen]
[End with empathy, not blame]

CAPABILITY SECTION
[What they can now do — one block per capability, short]
[Input → Action → Output for each]

BENEFIT SECTION
[Emotional payoff — what this actually means for their work and career]
[2-3 specific outcomes they care about]

SOCIAL PROOF
[Peer quotes from the same role, not executives]
[One stat if you have a real one]
[Format: quote + role + company stage]

FINAL CTA
[Urgency from a real scenario, not artificial pressure]
[Repeat primary CTA + friction remover]

Once you have the copy structure, run it through the Righter skill to tighten the writing — active voice, grade 5 reading level, no weakeners, no em dashes.