- Tier 1, category: the market problem you are naming, the narrative for why the category exists, a category headline, a tagline, and the problem statement
- Tier 2, platform: your core value proposition, a platform headline, three to five supporting points, a differentiator table, and proof points
- Tier 3, feature: a repeatable block per feature with a customer-facing name, headline, benefit statement, proof point, and target persona
- Per-persona matrix: hook, problem, solution, proof, and call to action for each buyer persona
- Objection handling: a block per objection with what the prospect is really saying and the response
- Quick-reference card: one line per context (cold outreach, website hero, elevator pitch, competitive positioning) so the framework is usable without re-reading it
- Copy the template into your positioning doc. Fill Tier 1 first; if you cannot name the problem your category solves, nothing downstream will hold.
- Write every claim from evidence. Proof points need a number and a source. Persona hooks should use phrasing that appears in call transcripts, not in the last offsite. The sales and marketing alignment guide covers how to get that language.
- Draft the feature blocks last. Features change; category and platform messaging should not have to.
- Fill the quick-reference card only when the tiers above it are stable. It is the part most people will actually read.
- Mark anything not yet shipped as roadmap. A framework that describes features you do not have will be quoted by sales.
- Version it. Note the date and what changed at the bottom every time the framework is revised.
# [Company] messaging framework
> Version: [x.y] · Last revised: [YYYY-MM-DD] · Owner: [name, role]
> Sources: [positioning research, call-transcript extractions, win/loss reviews — with dates]
---
## Tier 1: Category
### Category name
[The category you are defining or claiming. Capitalize if you intend it as a proper noun.]
### Why this category exists
[Three to five short paragraphs. The market problem, quantified. What the status quo tools do and where they stop. The gap no current player fills. End with one sentence that names the category as the thing that fills it.]
### Category headline
> [One sentence that states the problem from the buyer's side. Under 20 words.]
### Category tagline
> [Under 8 words. The phrase that goes on the homepage hero.]
### Problem statement
**[Three-part summary of the problem, e.g. "X. Y. Z."]**
[One paragraph expanding it, with two or three numbers and their sources.]
### The vision
[One paragraph describing what the world looks like when the problem is solved. Concrete, not aspirational.]
---
## Tier 2: Platform
### Core value proposition
**[One sentence. What the platform does that nothing else does.]**
[One paragraph explaining the mechanism, in plain language.]
### Platform headline
> [One sentence. Under 20 words.]
### Supporting points
1. **[Point 1 headline.]** [One or two sentences.]
2. **[Point 2 headline.]** [One or two sentences.]
3. **[Point 3 headline.]** [One or two sentences.]
4. **[Point 4 headline, optional.]** [One or two sentences.]
5. **[Point 5 headline, optional.]** [One or two sentences.]
### Key differentiators
| Differentiator | What it means | Why it matters to the buyer |
|----------------|---------------|-----------------------------|
| **[Name]** | [Plain description] | [Outcome the buyer cares about] |
| **[Name]** | [Plain description] | [Outcome] |
| **[Name]** | [Plain description] | [Outcome] |
### Proof points
- **[Claim]:** [number, source, date]
- **[Claim]:** [number, source, date]
- **[Claim]:** [number, source, date]
### The analogy (for non-technical buyers)
[One paragraph. A familiar mechanism that explains how the platform creates value. Use it consistently across copy.]
---
## Tier 3: Features
### [Feature 1]
**Customer-facing name:** [Name. No "AI" prefix or suffix.]
**Headline:**
> [One sentence.]
**Benefit statement:**
[One paragraph. What the buyer can do that they could not do before.]
**Proof point:**
[One concrete scenario or number.]
**Target persona:** [Persona names]
**Status:** [Shipped / Roadmap — never describe roadmap as available]
### [Feature 2]
[Repeat the block.]
---
## Per-persona messaging matrix
### [Persona name] ([title range])
| Element | Message |
|---------|---------|
| **Hook** | "[One sentence in the persona's own language.]" |
| **Problem** | [Two to four sentences. Their situation, with numbers.] |
| **Solution** | [Two to four sentences. What changes for them specifically.] |
| **Proof** | [Evidence this persona finds credible.] |
| **CTA** | "[Verb + specific outcome. Under 8 words.]" |
### [Persona 2]
[Repeat the table.]
---
## Objection handling
### "[Objection, verbatim]"
**What they are saying:** [The concern underneath the words.]
**Response:**
"[Three to six sentences. Acknowledge what is true. Reframe. Offer a low-commitment next step.]"
### "[Objection 2]"
[Repeat.]
---
## Quick-reference card
| Context | Lead with |
|---------|-----------|
| **Cold outreach** | "[Category headline or persona hook]" |
| **Website hero** | "[Tagline]" |
| **Elevator pitch** | "[Two sentences: what it is, what makes it different]" |
| **Competitive positioning** | "[Contrast sentence: 'They do X. We do Y.']" |
| **ROI conversation** | "[Cost of status quo + proof point]" |
| **Adoption concern** | "[One sentence on why this is not another tool]" |
---
## Change log
- [YYYY-MM-DD] — [what changed, why, who approved]