vellum-ai Run a rigorous positioning exercise and produce a positioning statement plus a messaging hierarchy. Anchor on April Dunford's method: positioning is built from competitive alternatives up, never from a tagline down.
Step graph
Step 1: Gather inputs
Ask only for what's missing (don't interrogate — infer from context where you can):
- Product/company and what it does.
- Competitive alternatives — what would the customer use if you didn't exist? Include the status quo / "do nothing".
- Unique attributes (capabilities the alternatives lack), the value those enable, the best-fit segment, and any proof points.
Step 2: Build the canvas
Call the positioning_brief tool with the gathered facts. It returns a Dunford canvas and a gap checklist.
Step 3: Close the gaps
For each item in gaps_to_close, ask the user or reason it out. Re-run positioning_brief if inputs changed materially. Do not proceed while alternatives, attributes, or target segment are empty.
Step 4: Synthesize
Produce:
- Positioning statement — one sentence: "For [segment] who [need], [product] is a [category] that [key value], unlike [alternatives], because [unique attributes]."
- Messaging hierarchy — umbrella message → 3 pillars → proof point per pillar.
- Category frame — the market category and why it makes your strengths obvious.
Step 5: Pressure-test
Challenge it: would a skeptical buyer in your target segment believe it? Is the differentiation real or table-stakes? Flag weak claims. Recommend 1–2 next actions (e.g. update homepage hero, sales deck slide 2).
Keep the output board-ready: tight, specific, evidence-backed.