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Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
This is where most positioning frameworks would have given Substack the wrong advice. They would say that Substack absolutely needed to stick to the thing that makes them most unique and was the most core to their identity. Surely it is better to be a one-of-a-kind “paid publishing platform” rather than yet-another newsletter platform! Isn’t it... See more
Nathan Baschez • Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
Positioning yourself into something more “familiar” can be more clear and understandable, rather than trying to completely create an entire new category, market, or niche.
Though of course, you can still keep the same core differentiators around your product - however the way you market yourself has to be more strategic, in order for people to understand WHAT YOU DO.
Not something entirely abstract or vague.
Once you’ve got a beta version of the product out, gather feedback to understand what types of people are loving it, and why.
Nathan Baschez • Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
After launching a micro-offer or product → feedback, feedback, feedback
In short, it goes like this:
Survey customers, asking how disappointed they would be if they could no longer use your product. This is the classic “product-market fit question”. In the survey you also want to ask what type of people they think would be most likely to get value out of this product, what they like most about the product, and what... See more
Survey customers, asking how disappointed they would be if they could no longer use your product. This is the classic “product-market fit question”. In the survey you also want to ask what type of people they think would be most likely to get value out of this product, what they like most about the product, and what... See more
Nathan Baschez • Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
surveys are the most easiest and direct enough ways of gathering market research
For example, Figma started out knowing they wanted to build a web-based graphics editor using a new technology called WebGL, but they didn’t know exactly what type of use-case they wanted to focus on. Eventually after a period of experimentation they settled on UI design for web and mobile apps. Who knows what would have become of them if they... See more
Nathan Baschez • Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
In a business context, a "wedge" strategy or "wedge approach" refers to a focused, early-stage strategy that aims to quickly establish a foothold in a market by solving a specific problem for a defined group, enabling efficient scaling later.
Here's a more detailed explanation of wedges in business:
What it is:
A wedge strategy involves identifying a... See more
Here's a more detailed explanation of wedges in business:
What it is:
A wedge strategy involves identifying a... See more
Nathan Baschez • Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
(AI response)
When you try and pitch people on a new category, typically you are met with a blank stare. People won’t listen to your whole spiel about what it is that you do. Much better to anchor on an existing category that they already understand, that way they can infer all sorts of features they assume you probably have without you having to explain... See more
Nathan Baschez • Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
The important and counter-intuitive thing to do is to actually not act on the suggestions or ideas from people who don’t like your product at all. It’s tempting to try and convert them into believers, but be cautious before you proceed. There are a lot of types of people out there with many different preferences. You can’t make all of them happy.... See more
Nathan Baschez • Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
Catering your product to everybody will just lead to overwhelm and distraction. Focus on your people and focus on what these people love about your product, and make it better :)
It’s much better to “anchor & twist”—start with something easily understandable, and have one big new thing that is different. Substack is a newsletter platform—with payments. Superhuman is an email client—that’s absurdly fast. Figma is a design tool—in a web browser. (You get the idea.)
Nathan Baschez • Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
Communicating “what you do”, and the value proposition behind your service clearly and concisely, is key.
Make it easy for people to know what they get out of you.
1. Start wide open
Be on the lookout for different types of people who like your product for different reasons. Don’t assume the default path is the right one.
This advice is dangerous so I’m going to start by saying what it doesn’t mean: “wide open” does not mean “unfocused.” It does not mean “a product that tries to be all things to all people.”... See more
Be on the lookout for different types of people who like your product for different reasons. Don’t assume the default path is the right one.
This advice is dangerous so I’m going to start by saying what it doesn’t mean: “wide open” does not mean “unfocused.” It does not mean “a product that tries to be all things to all people.”... See more
Nathan Baschez • Good Positioning Makes Everything Easier - Divinations - Every
stay focused with the market and the customer that you are targeting but be opened for newer possibilities and other people that may not totally fit “the ideal client avatar” right away. This is where you are able to find product-fit - through allowing changes to who you are offering to.
Again, reminds me of my last client that I’ve had.