Strategy · AI workflow
Positioning with AI (without sounding generic)
8 min read · Clara Strategy Team
Large language models default to plausible category averages. Positioning wins in the specifics: which buyer, which alternative, which proof, which timeframe. Your job is to supply the anchors; Clara’s job is to synthesize and stress-test.
1. Start from substitution, not slogans
Ask “If we disappeared tomorrow, what would customers buy instead?” List direct competitors, DIY hacks, and “do nothing.” AI outputs sharpen when the substitution set is explicit—otherwise you get “we’re innovative and customer-centric.”
2. Encode proof as a first-class input
Upload metrics, customer quotes, third-party badges, or methodology notes. Clara weights claims by evidence strength and flags overreach before you publish.
3. Ban words, not ideas
Create a short “lexical denylist” for your category (e.g., “world-class,” “synergy”). Clara replaces them with concrete nouns and verbs tied to outcomes you can measure.
4. Iterate with falsifiable tests
Each positioning option should ship with a disconfirming experiment: landing headline A/B, sales call opener trial, or branded search survey. If a statement can’t be tested, it’s decoration—not strategy.