Most smart business owners try to system their way out of uncertainty. I’ve done it. Spreadsheets, dropdowns, scripts, fancy views like “This Week” and “Ready to Publish.” It looked like progress.
Then I noticed something annoying: my workflow was getting clearer, but my offer wasn’t.
When someone asked what I do, I answered with a list of tactics (SEO, calendars, funnels, analytics). It sounded impressive and also sounded like I was applying for my own job.
Here’s the truth: if someone can’t immediately tell who you help, what you help them do, and why they should pick you, your marketing is basically a well organized mumble.
By the end of this, you’ll have a simple 3-question positioning statement you can use in your bio, sales page, and conversations without sounding like a menu. You’ll also know how to pressure-test it in 10 minutes.
The problem with most positioning advice
Positioning advice is often… ambitious.
It wants you to:
- research competitors like you’re doing a dissertation
- invent a brand manifesto
- pick a niche, a mission, a vibe, a color palette, and a spirit animal
I’m not against strategy. I’m against strategy as procrastination. If you can’t explain your offer simply, no amount of “brand” will save the first five seconds of a real conversation.
The “Who / What / Why You” Positioning Statement
You’re going to write one sentence you can say out loud, using three answers.
Q1: Who do I help?
Pick a specific person, not a vague category.
Add one qualifier:
- stage
- role
- situation
Format options
- “I help [role] who are [stuck situation]…”
- “I help [type of business] at [stage]…”
Q2: What do I help them do?
Name the outcome in plain English.
If you can add a constraint, do it:
- speed (faster)
- simplicity (simpler)
- without something painful (“without cold DMs,” “without custom proposals,” etc.)
Format options
- “… [achieve outcome]…”
- “… [solve painful problem]…”
Q3: Why me?
Pick one differentiator, not five. (And before you head to the comments to tell me you don’t have a differentiator… you do. You just haven’t put it into words yet. This section helps you identify that.)
Don’t overthink this. and DEFINITELY don’t make this harder on yourself than you need to. Start by choosing something about you or your business that’s easiest to prove.
- Your method – How you do the thing
- Your focus – This includes BOTH what you want to do and what kinds of work you will say no to
- Your experience – What thing you’ve done repeatedly or how long have you been doing the thing
- Your edge – A belief you apply consistently
Format options
- “… using [method]…”
- “… because [your edge]…”
Quick assembly formulas
Pick one:
- Formula A: I help [who] [do what] by [your method/edge].
- Formula B: For [who], I’m the [category] who helps you [outcome] without [pain].
- Formula C: I help [who] go from [pain] to [outcome] using [repeatable approach].
The skimmable checklist: the 10-minute “bullshit test”
If you fail any of these, tighten the sentence.
- Can a stranger repeat it after hearing it once?
- Would your ideal customer instantly think, “That’s me”?
- Does it avoid listing tools (SEO, funnels, automations) as the main message?
- Does it name an outcome someone actually wants?
- Is your “why you” specific enough to be provable in one example?
Worked example: using my current message (and making it sharper)
The framework above can feel a little “sure, in theory.” So here’s how it looks with my actual, current positioning, plus one qualifier that makes the right people lean in.
Starting point: the tactic menu (what I used to say)
“I do SEO audits, content calendars, funnels, analytics, and automation.”
What was wrong with it:
- It answered what I can do, not who it’s for or what changes for them.
- It attracted people shopping for random tactics and repelled people who wanted a clear outcome.
Translation: I sounded like a toolbox wearing a trench coat.
Step 1: Answer Q1 (Who do I help?)
Draft: “small business owners and solopreneurs”
Tighten (add one qualifier): “small business owners and solopreneurs who are posting but not getting leads”
Step 2: Answer Q2 (What do I help them do?)
Draft: “grow with better content and a better website”
Tighten (name the outcome): “get more leads with better content and a clearer website”
Step 3: Answer Q3 (Why me?)
This is the part that stops you from sounding like every other “content + website” person.
Draft: “because I’m good at content and websites”
Tighten (one differentiator): “with a simple weekly system that connects content to the site”
Step 4: Assemble the sentence
Clear version (site header / call opener): “I help small business owners and solopreneurs who are posting but not getting leads get more leads with better content and a clearer website, using a simple weekly system that connects the two.”
Tight version (bio-friendly): “I help solopreneurs who post but aren’t getting leads get more leads with better content and a clearer website.”
Ultra-tight (if you want it punchy): “I help solopreneurs turn content and their website into leads.”
Step 5: Run the bullshit test
Why you included? Yes, without turning into a paragraph.
Repeatable? Yes.
Ideal customer says “that’s me”? Much more likely once you add “posting but not getting leads.”
Tool list avoided? Yep.
At this point, I was ready to get started and test it! I’ve gone through a number of iterations since 2020 when I did this, but this is (roughly) the process I went through in the beginning.
Common mistakes (and the fix)
1) “I help everyone.”
Look. You’re exceptional. I’m sure you COULD find a way to help everyone, but if you try to talk to everyone on the internet then youre talking to no one. Here is the good news. The internet has all but eliminated the “too small niche” problem. There are 8 billion people on Earth and over 340 million of those people live in the US.
And honestly… you probably couldnt help 1,000 people if they all came to you at the same time.
So don’t be scared to get specific.
Fix: Add a qualifier (role + situation).
Example: “I help first-time course creators who have content ideas but no clear promise…”
2) Listing tools instead of outcomes
You have a particular set of skills that you have acquired over your career. You want to celebrate that and shout them all out. But, people get overwhelmed very quickly if you dump too much stuff on them. Instead, focus on what those skills can accomplish for them
Fix: Tools are the how, not the headline. Lead with the outcome people want.
3) Stuffing three differentiators in when you answer the question “why you”
Stuffing three differentiators into your “why you” is the fastest way to sound like everyone else. When you stack a bunch of claims (“strategic and tactical and data-driven” or “content, websites, SEO, funnels”), none of them land because they’re hard to remember and even harder to believe.
Fix: Pick one edge that’s easiest to prove (your method, your focus, your experience, or a core belief), then back it with one quick example. One clear differentiator plus one real proof beats five vague claims every time.
4) Using vague outcomes (“grow,” “scale,” “optimize”)
People are trained to ignore buzz words. Don’t use them unless you have to.
Fix: Translate to a visible result.
Examples:
- “Book sales calls from content.”
- “Sell your offer without custom proposals.”
5) Making it too clever to understand
I’ll say this 1 million times before I die: Don’t. Get. Cute. You need people to understand what you are saying and the reality is that people will miss your clever wordplay or your Doctor Who reference. Just say the thing.
Fix: Write it for a tired person on their phone. If it needs explaining, it’s not done.
6) Treating the statement as permanent
Nothing is permanent. You can change everything and pivot if you have to. Make your statement and use it. If it doesnt feel right or doesn’t work, thenh go back to the drawing board.
Fix: Treat it as a testable draft. Use it for two weeks, track reactions, then pivot.
FAQ
Do I need to finalize my niche before I can write my positioning statement?
This is going to ruffle some of my colleagues feathers, but I say “No.”
Pick the best-guess niche, write the sentence, and test it.
You’ll find clarity once you have spent some time working with it.
What if I do multiple things?
You still need one front-door message. Make the sentence about the most common, most valuable problem you solve.
How specific is too specific?
You want to be specific enough that you repel clients that you wouldn’t want to sell in the first place.
Can I change my positioning later?
Yes. Pivoting is normal and expected.
The real PROBLEM is if your position remains vague forever.
Where should I use the statement?
Everywhere you can make it fit.
Suggestions: Bio, website header, pinned post, sales call opener, and the first paragraph of your sales page.
How do I know it’s working?
When people stop looking confused and asking “so… what do you do?” after you tell them what you do.
Do this today
Open a blank doc and write three versions of your one-sentence statement using Formula A, then run the bullshit test checklist.
Pick the tightest one and paste it into your bio.
Then make note of the customers who come through those pages, and the questions they ask.
If your positioning sentence still feels a little “meh,” that’s normal. The goal isn’t poetry. It’s a message that the right person understands in one pass and can repeat later without mangling it. Nail the three parts: who you help, what changes for them, and why your approach is different. Then run it for 14 days in the real world: bio, website header, pinned post, and the first 30 seconds of calls. Pay attention to what people say back. If they immediately self-identify and ask better questions, you’re close. If they blink and say “so… what do you do again?” tighten the sentence, not your calendar.
And if you still need help? Book a call with me and we can talk about it! We’ll get you sorted out!
