3: Positioning

Course Overview

This Module on positioning….

Lesson 1 Persona Pitfalls & Decision-Grade Architecture (7 min)

Lesson content (paste):

1. Personas fail when they’re biographies.
2. Your persona must answer: What do they fear? What do they need to see to believe? Who blocks them?
3. Deliverables preview (6 outputs).

Action: Choose a category + list 3-5 competitors + select 2-3 buyer roles you will model.

Resource: S02.R1 Workbook (Audience Architecture)

Lesson 2 ICP Prioritisation: Fit, Economics, Urgency (12 min)

Lesson content:

1. Define segments (industry, size, maturity, geography, tech stack, regulation).
2. Score using the ICP scoring model.
3. Select Primary ICP + Secondary ICP (explicitly).

Action: Complete ICP Priority Map.

Checkpoint prompt:

“If we had to win in 60 days, which ICP gives us the highest probability?”

Lesson 3 Buying Committee Map: Roles, Influence, Veto Points (12 min)

Lesson content:

1. Identify the economic buyer, champion, end user, and blocker.
2. Add procurement + IT/security + legal/compliance if relevant.
3. Identify veto points (who can kill the deal).

Action: Complete Buying Committee Map.

Checkpoint prompt:

“Which role feels the highest personal risk if this fails?”

Lesson 4 JTBD + Trigger Events (“Why now?”) (10 min)

Lesson content:

1. JTBD (Jobs to Be Done): functional + emotional + social jobs.
2. Trigger events: new leader, churn spike, funding round, compliance change, brand crisis, competitor move.

Action: Fill JTBD sheet + 10 trigger events + top 3 ranked.

Checkpoint prompt:

“What event makes your buyer willing to change vendors or strategy?”

Lesson 5 Decision Drivers, Objections & Proof Needs (15 min)

Lesson content:

1. Drivers are desired outcomes.
2. Objections are risks.
3. Proof assets are risk-collapsers.

Action: Build the Decision Drivers & Risk Triggers Matrix (by role).

Add: “Proof format” column (case study, metric, certification, demo, pilot, guarantee).

Lesson 6 Persona One-Pagers + Language Vault (15 min)

Lesson content:

1. Persona must be usable by sales and content.
2. Build 2-3 one-pagers and your language vault.

Action: Submit two persona sheets + 30-language vault entries.

Bridge to Module 3 Positioning:

“These outputs become your positioning constraints and proof requirements.”

Learning Outcomes

1. ICP Priority Map (fit + economics + urgency)
2. Buying Committee Map (roles + influence + veto points)
3. JTBD + Trigger Events (“why now”)
4. Decision Drivers & Risk Triggers Matrix (by role)
5. Persona One-Pagers (2–3) with objections + proof needs
6. Language Vault (30+ buyer phrases)

Recommended Prerequisite

Module 1. Market Intelligence & The Strategic Moat

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Proprietary Methodologies Used

Taosquare ‘Audience Architecture Process’ (4-phase sprint)

Phase 1 ICP Prioritisation (Segment → Score → Select)

Goal: choose Primary ICP + one secondary.

ICP Scoring Model (1-5 each)

1. Pain severity
2. Urgency/trigger frequency
3. Budget/WTP
4. Adoption feasibility
5. Switching cost (lower is better if you’re new; higher is better if you have lock-in)
6. Decision complexity (lower is better for early traction)
7. Strategic value (LTV, referrals, logo value)

Output: ICP Priority Map + “Why this ICP wins” paragraph.

Phase 2 Buying Committee & Power Map

Goal: define buyer roles and veto points.

For each role:

1. Job-to-be-done in decision
2. KPIs
3. Primary fear
4. Top 3 decision criteria
5. Objections
6. Proof needs (format)

Output: Buying committee map + influence rating + blockers.

Phase 3 Decision Drivers, Risk Triggers & Proof Requirements

Goal: convert insights into proof design.

Create a matrix:

1. Driver (what they want)
2. Risk (what they fear)
3. Proof asset (what convinces)
4. Message angle (how you frame)

Output: Role-based risk map + proof plan shortlist.

Phase 4 Persona One-Pagers + Language Vault

Goal: produce usable persona sheets + buyer language library.

1. Persona One-Pager × 2-3 roles
2. Language Vault: phrases, objections, “why now,” proof words

Output: 2-3 persona pages + language vault.