How to Write a Positioning Statement for Your Agency
As we near the end of our 7-part series on agency positioning, we've reached the part I'm most excited about: crafting your positioning statement. This is your declaration to the world about who you serve and the value you deliver. While taglines and slogans might be the face of your brand, your positioning statement is the backbone, guiding how you allocate time, money, and resources.
A simple web search will bring up tons of examples on positioning your business, but much of it is either too theoretical to be practical or lacks the specifics you need. I've sifted through the clutter to bring you examples that have truly moved the needle for agencies. Let's get to it!
Positioning Statement Examples
The thought of putting pen to paper—or fingers to keyboard—and drafting your positioning statement can trigger a sense of loss aversion. As you narrow your focus to appeal to specific clients, it's natural to worry about excluding types of clients you've worked with in the past. A simple way to move past this feeling is to remember that a well-crafted positioning statement doesn't limit who you can work with; rather it sharpens the focus of your marketing and business development efforts.
Example 1: Magnetic Messaging Formula
H/t to the folks over at Consulting Success for this formula.
"We help [WHO] to [solve WHAT problem] so they can [achieve WHAT result]. My [WHY choose me]…"
WHO: Your target industry.
WHAT (Problem): The primary problem you address.
WHAT (Result): The main outcome you deliver.
WHY: The reason clients should choose you over others.
Consider a web design company that states: "We help small to midsize e-commerce businesses increase sales."
While accurate, it lacks specificity. Applying the Magnetic Messaging Formula, we can update it to read:
"We help Shopify stores to rank higher and attract more visitors so they can increase sales. We've helped Shopify stores achieve over $20 million in sales since 2020."
See the difference. The way they used to describe themselves was too generic. It did little to attract the attention of your ideal client. Specificity is important. Note the difference in the two examples of who they serve, what problem they solve, what results they can create, and how they are different from their competitors.
Example 2: Laser-focused positioning statement
H/t to Jonathan Stark for this formula.
Your laser-focused positioning statement describes who you work with and what outcomes you help them with.
Here's the formula:
I help [TARGET MARKET] with [EXPENSIVE PROBLEM]
This formula speaks to the need of identifying a problem that is both pervasive and urgent. I discussed the importance of identifying the problem you solve for clients in Part one of my agency positioning series.
An "expensive problem" is a significant issue your target market faces. Say I were doing this for The Meade Company, some of the expensive problems I might identify for agencies like yours include:
Scaling operations without sacrificing quality
Attracting and retaining talent
Managing cash flow with project-based work
Proving ROI to clients
Standing out in a crowded marketplace
Now if I used this formula, I could say something like: I help independent marketing agencies scale operations without sacrificing quality or I help small to mid-sized marketing firms manage cash flow with project-based work.
This approach clarifies your focus, assures clients you understand their specific challenges, and demonstrates your expertise.
Example 3: Above the fold
I borrowed this example from the web design community. The "above the fold" concept emphasizes the importance of immediately communicating who you are, what you do, and whom you serve.
The “above the fold” area is important because users have short attention spans and statistics tell us we have around three seconds to show users they are in the right place. So your above-the-fold section must show users who you are, what you do and who you do it for – in three seconds or less.
Here's the formula:
What you do and who you do it for.
The simplicity of this formula is it forces you to cut to the chase and get to the point immediately.
Here are some examples:
We create engaging social media content for health and wellness brands.
We conduct market research on the African American consumer.
We manage social media for small to mid-sized legal firms.
Writing Your Positioning Statement
Experiment with these approaches and start drafting a few ideas. Sit on the ideas for a few days and decide if you still feel good about it. When you revisit your ideas, check to see if they still hold weight. As you refine your positioning, you'll want to consider its impact on your marketing, sales, service/product offerings, and operations.
If you're finding the task challenging, create a spreadsheet with rows for each of the prompts below. Write down everything that comes to mind. This can be an engaging team exercise at your next offsite session or leadership retreat to spark insights that refine your positioning.
WHO: The industry that you serve.
WHAT (Problem): The primary problem you address.
WHAT (Result): The main outcome you deliver.
WHY: The reason clients should choose you over others.
Final Thoughts
Positioning your agency is a strategic decision. Your statement is more than a tagline; it guides and informs your marketing and operational decisions.
As you develop your positioning statement, view it as both a statement of your agency's strengths and a promise to potential clients. Though it requires introspection and iteration, this process will enhance your ability to attract your ideal clients effectively.
Stay tuned for my final installment, where I'll explore how to live out your positioning statement. We’ll focus on how to transform your positioning from words on a page to actions that authentically represent your agency's brand.