Free template

Free positioning statement template — write it where everyone can see it.

BoardSnap is an iOS app that converts whiteboard photos into clean summaries and action items in about ten seconds. This positioning statement template uses the classic April Dunford structure — adapted for a whiteboard — so your team writes, debates, and finalizes the statement in one session.

Download on the App Store Free to start. Pro from $9.99/mo or $69.99/yr.

When to run this

Use this template whenever you're launching a new product, repositioning an existing one, or when sales and marketing keep describing the product differently to different audiences. If you have five people and five different answers to 'what does your product do?' — this is the session you need.

Budget 60–90 minutes. Bring product, marketing, sales, and ideally one customer voice (recent win or recent champion).

The structure

Alternative: what do buyers compare you to?

Write the competitive alternatives your buyers actually consider — not your ideal competitive set. This grounds the statement in buyer reality, not product marketing fantasy. Examples: 'spreadsheet + phone camera + ChatGPT,' not 'enterprise whiteboard software.'

Unique attributes: what do you do that alternatives don't?

Write three to five capabilities or features that are genuinely differentiated from the alternatives your buyers consider. Not capabilities you wish were different — things that are actually different today.

Value: what outcome do buyers get from those attributes?

For each unique attribute, write the buyer outcome — the result, not the feature. 'Perspective-corrected whiteboard capture' becomes 'usable photo on the first try.' The value is always from the buyer's perspective.

Target buyers: who gets the most value?

Write the specific type of buyer who experiences the full value of the differentiated attributes. Not 'everyone who uses whiteboards' — 'product teams at 10–200 person startups who run sprint retros and planning sessions on physical boards.' Narrow is better.

The statement

Synthesize: 'For [target buyer], [product] is the [category] that [unique value] because [proof point].' Write three versions. Argue in the room. The version that survives is the statement.

How to run it

  1. Start with the alternatives, not your product

    Write 'What does the buyer do instead of using us?' on the board before anything else. Fill it in. This is the hardest and most important step — it anchors the whole statement in real buyer behavior.

  2. List unique attributes without editorializing

    List the attributes. Don't label them as 'good' or 'important' yet — that comes later. Get everything written before filtering.

  3. Map each attribute to a buyer value

    Draw an arrow from each attribute to the value a buyer derives. Some attributes won't have a clear value for the target buyer — cross those out. They're features, not positioning.

  4. Define the target buyer segment

    Write the three characteristics of the buyer who experiences maximum value: their role, their context (company size, industry, or workflow), and the specific pain that your unique value resolves.

  5. Write three statement drafts

    Write three versions of the positioning statement on the board using the template. Different word choices, different emphasis. Read them aloud. The one that sounds most like something a happy customer would say wins.

  6. Snap with BoardSnap

    BoardSnap reads the alternatives, attributes, values, buyer definition, and all three statement drafts. The output is a structured summary with the chosen statement and the supporting arguments as action items for the messaging framework.

Why positioning statements on a whiteboard + BoardSnap is better than digital

A positioning statement written in a Notion doc is a document. A positioning statement written on a whiteboard, argued over, erased twice, and rewritten is a conviction. The difference shows up in how confidently your team says it to customers.

BoardSnap captures the final version — including the reasoning that survived the debate — before anyone leaves the room. The output is shareable in thirty seconds and feeds directly into your messaging framework, sales deck, and website copy.

Frequently asked

How is a positioning statement different from a tagline?

A positioning statement is internal — it's the strategic document your team uses to align on how to describe and market the product. A tagline is external — a short phrase for customers. The positioning statement comes first; the tagline derives from it. Your positioning statement might be three sentences; your tagline is five words.

What if the team can't agree on the target buyer?

That's the most valuable outcome of the session — surfacing the disagreement. Write all the proposed buyer definitions on the board. Debate them. If you can't resolve it in the session, you have conflicting assumptions about your market that need to be resolved before anything else can move forward.

How often should we revisit the positioning statement?

Revisit it when: a major competitor enters or exits the market, your product adds a capability that changes your differentiation, or you're losing deals you used to win. Not on a fixed schedule — on a trigger-based one.

Is BoardSnap free?

The free tier includes one project and 30 boards. Pro is $9.99/month or $69.99/year for unlimited boards and AI chat on every board you snap.

Run your next positioning statement and BoardSnap will summarize it.

No exporting, no transcription. Snap the board, get the action plan.

Free · 1 project, 30 boards Pro $9.99/mo · everything unlimited Pro $69.99/yr · save 42%
BoardSnap Free on the App Store Get