A positioning statement is not a slogan and is rarely published word for word. Think of it as the brief behind your brand: the clear answer you can hand to a designer, copywriter, salesperson or new hire. The test of a good one is whether it helps someone make a decision, such as which feature to lead with or which customers to pursue.

Start by naming your audience precisely

A statement aimed at everyone is not a position. Be specific about the people you serve: their size, sector, situation and the problem they are trying to solve. "Small businesses" is vague, while "owner-managed UK service firms with a dated website and no marketing team" is something you can act on.

Look at your best existing customers for clues. What do they have in common, and why did they choose you? Talking to five or six of them, even informally, will teach you more than a workshop alone.

Define your category and your difference

Say what kind of business you are, using words customers would recognise. Then state what sets you apart in a way that matters to them. Differences that only you care about, such as years in business or an impressive office, rarely count. Differences that change the customer's outcome, cost, speed or experience do.

Be honest about trade-offs. A position usually means choosing what you are not. If you are the fastest option, you may not be the cheapest, and that is fine.

Add the proof

A claim without evidence is just an opinion. State the reason customers should believe you: a distinctive method, specialist experience, a guarantee or something you can show. Keep any claims accurate and be ready to substantiate them, as the Advertising Standards Authority expects from UK advertisers. Never invent figures to make a statement sound stronger.

A simple structure to follow

• For [specific audience]

• who [need or problem],

• we are [category]

• that [key benefit or difference],

• because [reason to believe].

Write several versions and keep cutting. The final statement should fit in two sentences and read clearly aloud. Then check it against the competition by looking at how others in your market describe themselves.

Test it before you rely on it

Show the statement to customers, staff and someone outside the business. Ask them to say it back in their own words and tell you whether it is true. Check whether a competitor could say exactly the same thing: if so, it is not distinctive yet. Usability and research bodies such as Nielsen Norman Group publish guidance on clear, user-focused messaging that is a helpful reference when you refine the wording.

Put it to work

The value of positioning comes from applying it. Use it to sharpen your homepage headline, which our guide to what makes a good business homepage covers, and your service copy, as explained in website copywriting for service pages. For B2B audiences, positioning also shapes how you show up in places like LinkedIn. Finally, record the language in your brand guidelines so it stays consistent.