Positioning Workshop: How to Run One (Template Included)

Narrative Ops
Feb 7
17 min read

Updated: Feb 11

What You’ll Learn:

• How to facilitate a 6-hour positioning workshop with your team

• Complete session-by-session agenda (ready to use)

• What prep work is required before the workshop

• How to get alignment from founders, product, sales, and marketing

• Downloadable templates and exercises for each session

Introduction

Most SaaS companies create positioning the wrong way: founders lock themselves in a room, brainstorm for a few hours, and emerge with something that sounds good to them but confuses customers.

The better approach? Run a structured positioning workshop with your key stakeholders. Bring together founders, product, marketing, sales, and customer success. Use customer data, not opinions. Follow a proven framework. Make decisions together.

A well-run positioning workshop takes 6 hours (split across 2 days) and delivers a draft positioning statement that’s validated with real customer insights, team-aligned, and ready to test in market.

This guide walks you through exactly how to run one. We’ve used this format with 50+ B2B SaaS companies. It works.

Note: This workshop is part of the complete positioning methodology in our Ultimate Guide to SaaS Positioning. For the full framework including validation and implementation, start there.

Why Run a Positioning Workshop?

The Problem with Solo Positioning

When one person creates positioning in isolation:

It’s based on their assumptions, not customer data
Other teams don’t buy in because they weren’t involved
Sales describes the product differently than marketing
Implementation becomes a battle of “that’s not what I would have said”

What a Workshop Solves

Alignment: Everyone contributes, everyone commits

Customer-driven: Built from interview data, not guesses

Efficient: 6 hours vs weeks of back-and-forth

Actionable: You leave with a draft statement, not just ideas

Validated: Multiple perspectives catch blind spots

Workshop Overview

Format

Duration: 6 hours total, split into:

Session 1: 3 hours (Discovery)

Session 2: 3 hours (Positioning)

Schedule them 1-2 days apart (not same day—people need processing time)

Who to Include

Required (5-8 people max):

Founders (both if there are 2)
Product lead
Marketing lead
Sales lead
1-2 Customer success reps (they hear customer language daily)

Why keep it small: More than 8 people = too many opinions, decisions take forever

What You’ll Produce

By the end:

Draft positioning statement
Target customer profile
Key messaging hierarchy
Competitive differentiation map
Validation plan with owners
Implementation timeline

Pre-Workshop Preparation (Critical)

Timeline: Complete 1-2 weeks before workshop

Don’t run the workshop without this prep work. You’ll waste everyone’s time.

Required Homework #1: Customer Interviews

What: Interview 10-15 of your best customers

Who: Highest retention, fastest time-to-value, most engaged, have referred others

Questions to ask:

1. “How would you describe us to a colleague?”

2. “What problem were you solving when you found us?”

3. “What alternatives did you consider? Why did you choose us?”

4. “What’s the main value you get?”

5. “Who do you think we’re best for?”

Deliverable: Interview summary document with:

Direct quotes (their exact words)
Common patterns (what 7+ customers mentioned)
Pain points, alternatives, differentiation themes

Download our Customer Interview Script for the complete question list.

Required Homework #2: Competitor Research

What: Analyze 5-10 competitors

How:

Screenshot their homepages
Document their positioning (if clear)
Note their claimed differentiation
Identify gaps in the market

Deliverable:

Competitor positioning spreadsheet showing:

Company name
Target customer (who they say it’s for)
Category claim
Differentiation claim
Strengths and weaknesses

Use our Competitor Analysis Template to organize this.

Required Homework #3: Internal Messaging Audit

What: Collect your current messaging

Gather:

Current homepage copy
Sales deck (first 5 slides)
Product marketing one-pagers
Recent marketing campaigns

Deliverable: Document showing messaging inconsistencies

Why this matters: You’ll see how inconsistent your current messaging is. This creates urgency for alignment.

Optional Homework: Pre-Workshop Survey

Send to all participants 3 days before:

1. “In one sentence, how would you describe what we do?”

2. “Who is our ideal customer?”

3. “What makes us different from competitors?”

Don’t share responses. Read them aloud in the workshop to show misalignment.

This is a powerful exercise. When 5 people give 5 different answers, everyone realizes why you need positioning work.

Session 1: Discovery (3 Hours)

Goal: Understand your best customers, alternatives, and unique attributes

Agenda:

Part 1: Customer Insights Review (45 min)
Part 2: Alternative Mapping (45 min)
Part 3: Unique Attributes (60 min)
Part 4: Attribute-to-Value Translation (30 min)

Part 1: Customer Insights Review (45 minutes)

Setup: Presentation + discussion

Kickoff (10 min)

Facilitator says: “Welcome. Today we’re developing positioning that makes us stand out, attracts the right customers, and commands premium pricing. This isn’t about taglines; it’s strategic work that drives our entire go-to-market.

Here’s what we’ll do:

Today (Session 1): Understand customers, alternatives, attributes
Tomorrow (Session 2): Make category and differentiation decisions
Output: Draft positioning statement to validate

Ground rules:

1. No phones during exercises

2. Vote to resolve disagreements (no endless debate)

3. Use customer quotes liberally

4. Save wordsmithing for later”

Alignment Check (10 min)

If you did the pre-workshop survey: “I asked everyone: ‘How would you describe what we do?’ Let’s read the responses.”

Read each answer aloud

Point out: “Notice we have X different descriptions. This is why positioning matters; we need one clear story.”

If you didn’t do the survey: Skip this, go to customer insights.

Present Customer Findings (25 min)

Share these patterns from your interviews:

1. Who are our best customers?

Pattern: “8 of 10 are [characteristic]”
Pattern: “All tried [alternative] before us”
Quote: “[Customer quote about who they are]”

2. What problem were they solving?

Pattern: “9 of 10 mentioned [pain point]”
Quote: “[Customer quote about problem]”

3. What alternatives did they consider?

Pattern: “[Specific tools/approaches]”
Quote: “[Why they rejected alternatives]”

4. Why did they choose us?

Pattern: “[Common reason]”
Quote: “[Customer differentiation quote]”

5. How do they describe us?

Quote: “[Description 1]”
Quote: “[Description 2]”
Quote: “[Description 3]”

Critical: Use direct customer quotes. Not your interpretation—their actual words.

Group Discussion (10 min)

Question to the room: “Based on these interviews, who are our BEST-fit customers? Not just ICP, but the ones who get the most value fastest.”

Facilitator captures on whiteboard:

What they have in common (industry, size, role, tech stack)
Pain points they all share
Characteristics that predict success

Vote: “Does everyone agree this is our target?” (Majority rules)

Output: Best-fit customer profile documented

Part 2: Alternative Mapping (45 minutes)

Setup: Whiteboard exercise + discussion

Create the Alternative Map (20 min)

Facilitator draws 4 quadrants on whiteboard:

1. Status Quo - What they do today without any tool

2. Direct Competitors - Other SaaS in your category

3. Adjacent Solutions - Different category, similar problem

4. DIY - Build it themselves

Exercise: “For each quadrant, let’s brainstorm what customers consider before choosing us.”

Process:

5 min: Everyone writes alternatives on sticky notes
5 min: Group sticky notes by quadrant
10 min: Discuss each alternative

For each alternative, ask:

Why do customers choose this?
What’s good about it?
What’s bad about it? (from customer interviews)
How are we different?

Identify Primary Alternative (15 min)

Facilitator asks: “Based on customer interviews, which alternative did MOST customers seriously consider before choosing us?”

Review interview data together

Discussion:

Is it a competitor? (e.g., “Salesforce”)
Is it a category? (e.g., “spreadsheets”)
Is it a behavior? (e.g., “email coordination”)

Vote: “What’s our primary competitive alternative?”

This becomes your “Unlike [X]” in positioning

Map Your Differentiation (10 min)

Create comparison table on whiteboard:

Primary Alternative	What They Have	What They Don’t Have	What We Have
[Alternative name]	[Strengths]	[Weaknesses]	[Our advantages]

Fill this in as a group

Output: Clear differentiation vs. primary alternative

BREAK (15 minutes)

Part 3: Identify Unique Attributes (60 minutes)

Setup: Brainstorm + filtering exercise

Introduction (5 min)

Facilitator explains: “Attributes are capabilities that create differentiation, not just features.

Bad attributes:

‘Better UX’ (subjective, everyone claims this)
‘Great support’ (table stakes)
‘AI-powered’ (meaningless)

Good attributes:

‘125ms UI response time’ (measurable)
‘Built only for real estate’ (specific focus)
‘Records 100% of sales calls’ (unique capability)

We’re looking for capabilities that pass three tests:

1. Can competitors do this too? (If yes, remove)

2. Is this verifiable? (If no, remove)

3. Did customers mention this? (If no, question it)”

Brainstorm Attributes (20 min)

Individual brainstorm (10 min): “On sticky notes, write things we can do that alternatives can’t.”

Categories to consider:

Technology: What’s your technical advantage?
Approach: How is your methodology different?
Focus: What market do you exclusively serve?
Ecosystem: What integrations/data do you own?
Experience: What expertise do you have?

Group on board (10 min): Put all sticky notes on whiteboard, group similar ones

Filter Attributes (20 min)

For each attribute cluster, apply the three tests:

Test 1: “Can competitors do this too?” - If YES → Remove it - If NO → Keep, move to Test 2

Test 2: “Is this verifiable/measurable?” - If NO → Remove it - If YES → Keep, move to Test 3

Test 3: “Did customers mention this in interviews?” - If NO → Deprioritize it - If YES → Keep it

Remove anything that fails Tests 1 or 2

Prioritize Top Attributes (15 min)

For remaining attributes, vote with sticky dots:

Each person gets 3 votes to distribute across attributes

Rank by:

1. Hardest for competitors to copy (defensibility)

2. Most valuable to target customers (from interviews)

3. Most provable with evidence (verifiability)

Keep top 3-5 attributes

Output: List of 3-5 unique, defensible attributes ranked by importance

Part 4: Attribute-to-Value Translation (30 minutes)

Setup: Structured exercise

The “So What?” Exercise (20 min)

For each top attribute, run the “So What?” test:

Facilitator demonstrates with example:

Attribute: “Real-time sync” - So what? → “Team always has latest version” - So what? → “No version conflicts” - So what? → “Close deals 30% faster” ← Final value

Group exercise: Do this for each of your top 3 attributes

Create table on whiteboard:

Attribute	So What? (1)	So What? (2)	Customer Value (3)
[Attr 1]	[…]	[…]	[Measurable value]
[Attr 2]	[…]	[…]	[Measurable value]
[Attr 3]	[…]	[…]	[Measurable value]

Value Hierarchy Check (10 min)

Review each final value against hierarchy:

• Efficiency Value: Saves time, reduces effort (good)

• Revenue Value: Increases deals, grows revenue (better)

• Strategic Value: Enables new capabilities (best)

Facilitator asks: “Can we ladder any of these up from efficiency to revenue or strategic value?”

Aim for revenue or strategic value (justifies premium pricing better)

Output: Attribute-to-value mapping complete

Session 1 Wrap-Up (10 minutes)

Facilitator recaps: “Great work. Here’s what we now know:

✅ Best-fit customer profile: [summary]

✅ Top customer pain points: [list]

✅ Primary alternative we compete against: [name]

✅ Our top 3-5 unique attributes: [list]

✅ Value those attributes deliver: [outcomes]

Tomorrow: We’ll use this to make our category decision, choose our differentiation angle, and draft our positioning statement.

Homework for tomorrow: Think about whether we should claim an existing category or create a new one. Come with an opinion.”

Session 2: Positioning (3 Hours, Next Day)

Goal: Make strategic decisions and create your positioning statement

Agenda:

Part 1: Category Decision (60 min)
Part 2: Differentiation Angle (45 min)
Part 3: Draft Positioning Statement (60 min)
Part 4: Validation & Rollout Planning (30 min)

Part 1: Category Decision (60 minutes)

Recap Session 1 (10 min)

Facilitator displays Session 1 outputs on screen/board:

“Quick recap: - Best-fit customer: [profile] - Top values: [outcomes] - Primary alternative: [name] - Unique attributes: [list] - Customer language: [key quotes]

Today we make two big decisions: 1. What category do we claim? 2. How do we differentiate within it?”

Category Framework (20 min)

Facilitator presents two options:

Option A: Claim Existing Category

Pros:

Buyers already understand it
Existing search demand
Easier to explain
Faster sales cycles

Cons:

Inherit category assumptions
Direct comparison with established players
Harder to command premium pricing

Examples: Pipedrive (“CRM for small teams”), Asana (“Work management”)

Option B: Create New Category

Pros:

Own the category definition
Set evaluation criteria
No direct competitors initially
Premium pricing possible

Cons:

Buyer education required
Longer initial sales cycles
Risk category doesn’t catch on
Significant marketing investment needed

Examples: Gong (“Revenue intelligence”), Drift (“Conversational marketing”)

Decision Criteria Exercise (20 min)

Facilitator leads group through decision criteria:

Question	Answer	Implication
Do our attributes fit existing category?	Yes/No	If No → Consider new category
Can we win in existing category?	Yes/No	If No → Consider new category
Do we have budget for category education?	Yes/No	If No → Existing category
Does existing category have negative associations?	Yes/No	If Yes → Consider new category
Are customers already searching for existing category?	Yes/No	If Yes → Existing easier

Discuss each question based on Session 1 insights

Vote & Decide (10 min)

Facilitator: “Based on this discussion, should we claim existing category or create new?”

Process:

Everyone votes (show of hands)
Majority wins
Document decision + rationale

If Existing Category:

Name it: [e.g., “CRM”]
Our focus within it: [e.g., “for real estate teams”]

If New Category:

Proposed name: [e.g., “Revenue Intelligence”]
Connection to familiar: [e.g., “Like CRM but for actual conversations”]

Output: Category decision documented with reasoning

Part 2: Differentiation Angle (45 minutes)

Differentiation Options (15 min)

Facilitator presents four differentiation angles:

1. Vertical/Industry

“CRM for real estate” vs general CRM
Examples: Veeva (life sciences), Procore (construction)
Use when: Best customers in one industry

2. Feature/Capability

“Visual-first” vs spreadsheet-based
Examples: Airtable (spreadsheet-database hybrid)
Use when: Unique technical approach

3. Audience

“For non-technical users” vs developer tools
Examples: Webflow (designers), Zapier (non-technical)
Use when: Serving underserved audience

4. Methodology

“Async-first” vs real-time
Examples: Linear (opinionated), Loom (async video)
Use when: Different philosophy or workflow

Match to Attributes (15 min)

Facilitator: “Let’s look at our unique attributes from Session 1. Which differentiation angle do they suggest?”

Review attributes:

Attribute 1 → Suggests which angle?
Attribute 2 → Suggests which angle?
Attribute 3 → Suggests which angle?

Also consider:

What do customers emphasize in interviews?
Where are competitors NOT focused?
What’s hardest to copy?

Look for patterns

Choose Primary Angle (15 min)

Facilitator: “We can combine angles, but need ONE primary differentiation.”

Vote: Each person picks top choice

Tiebreaker questions:

Which is most defensible (hard to copy)?
Which did customers mention most?
Which creates clearest contrast with alternatives?

Decision: Primary differentiation angle

Output: How we’re different within our category

BREAK (15 minutes)

Part 3: Draft Positioning Statement (60 minutes)

Template Introduction (5 min)

Facilitator displays template on screen:

For [target customer]Who [statement of need]Our [product name] is a [product category]That [statement of key benefit]Unlike [primary competitive alternative]We [statement of primary differentiation]

“We have everything we need to fill this in from our work so far.”

Individual Drafting (20 min)

Facilitator: “Everyone write your own version now. Use:”

Best-fit customer from Session 1
Customer language from interviews
Category decision from today
Primary alternative from Session 1
Differentiation angle from today
Attribute-to-value mapping from Session 1

Everyone works independently

No talking during this exercise

Share Drafts (15 min)

Process:

Each person reads their draft aloud
No comments until all are shared
Facilitator notes common elements on board

Facilitator looks for:

Elements that appear in all/most drafts (probably essential)
Unique phrasings that resonate
Where drafts differ significantly

Synthesize Final Draft (20 min)

Facilitator: “Let’s combine the best elements into one statement.”

Process:

1. Start with most-voted-for draft as base

2. Incorporate best phrases from others

3. Test each element against criteria

Test Each Element:

Element	Test Question	Pass/Fail
Target customer	Specific? Not “everyone”?
Need statement	Uses customer language?
Category	Clear to buyers?
Key benefit	Measurable? Outcome-focused?
Alternative	Specific? Not “competitors”?
Differentiation	Concrete? Not “better/faster”?

Revise until all elements pass

Output: Draft positioning statement (good enough for validation, not perfect)

Part 4: Validation & Rollout Plan (30 minutes)

Validation Plan (15 min)

Facilitator: “How will we test if this positioning works?”

Phase 1: Internal Validation (Week 1)

[ ] 5-second test with 5 people outside team

[ ] Sales team can explain consistently

[ ] Passes competitive test (distinct from competitors)

Phase 2: Customer Validation (Weeks 2-4)

[ ] Interview 10 customers with new positioning

[ ] Ask: “Does this resonate?”

[ ] Success: 80%+ say “yes, that’s us”

Phase 3: Market Validation (Weeks 5-8)

[ ] Update homepage

[ ] Track: time on page, scroll depth, CTA clicks

[ ] Monitor: demo questions, objections

Assign owners for each phase

Rollout Plan (15 min)

Facilitator: “What needs to change? Who owns it? When?”

Create action plan:

Asset	What Changes	Owner	Deadline
Homepage	Headline, value props	[Name]	Week 1
Sales Deck	First 3 slides	[Name]	Week 2
One-pagers	Messaging	[Name]	Week 3
Sales Training	Positioning doc, talk tracks	[Name]	Week 4

Also assign:

Who creates positioning document? [Name, Week 1]
Who runs validation interviews? [Name, Weeks 2-4]
Who tracks metrics? [Name, ongoing]

Output: Clear owners and deadlines for implementation

Workshop Conclusion (10 minutes)

Facilitator recaps decisions: “Excellent work. Here’s what we decided:

Category: [Existing/New category name]

Differentiation: [Angle we chose]

Positioning Statement: [Read it aloud]

Validation Plan: [Timeline]

Rollout Plan: [Owners/deadlines]

Next Steps:

1. [Owner] creates positioning document by [date]

2. [Owner] starts customer validation by [date]

3. [Owner] updates homepage by [date]

4. We reconvene in 4 weeks to review results

Remember: Implementation matters as much as the statement itself. Let’s stay disciplined about using this consistently.

Great work, everyone. This positioning will be the foundation of all our GTM work going forward.”

Post-Workshop Action Items

Within 48 Hours

Workshop owner:

[ ] Send meeting notes to all participants

[ ] Clean up positioning statement (minor edits only)

[ ] Schedule customer validation interviews

[ ] Assign all action item owners

Within 1 Week

Positioning doc owner:

[ ] Create positioning document with:

Positioning statement
Key messages (3-5 bullet points)
Proof points for each message
Customer language guide
Competitive talking points

Marketing owner:

[ ] Begin internal 5-second tests

[ ] Draft new homepage copy

Within 1 Month

All owners:

[ ] Complete validation testing

[ ] Update highest-priority assets (homepage, deck)

[ ] Train team on new positioning

[ ] Begin tracking success metrics

Workshop Facilitation Tips

Do This ✅

Keep to time limits: Use a timer. When time’s up, move on. You can always revisit.
Vote to resolve debates: When stuck, vote and move forward. Don’t debate for 30 minutes.
Use customer quotes constantly: Ground every decision in customer data, not opinions.
Capture everything visually: Whiteboard, Miro, or screen share. Everyone sees the work.
Defer wordsmithing: Don’t perfect language during brainstorming. Kills creativity.
Make decisions in the room: Don’t end with “we’ll think about it.” Decide and document.

Don’t Do This ❌

Let HiPPO dominate: Highest Paid Person’s Opinion shouldn’t override data. Everyone’s voice matters.
Skip customer interviews: You’ll create positioning based on guesses, not reality.
Try to finish in one session: People need processing time. Schedule across 2 days.
Aim for perfection: Draft is enough for validation. You’ll refine later.
Forget to assign owners: Without owners and deadlines, nothing happens.

Workshop Materials & Templates

Pre-Workshop

Send to participants 1 week before:

1. Customer Interview Summary (you create this)

2. Competitor Analysis (you create this)

3. Pre-Workshop Survey (optional, 3 questions)

4. Workshop Agenda (this document)

Download our complete Positioning Workshop Template Pack

During Workshop

Facilitator needs:

Whiteboard or Miro board
Sticky notes (physical or digital)
Timer
This facilitation guide
Customer interview summary printed

Participants need:

Laptop for individual drafting
Access to shared board
Customer interview summary
Competitor analysis

Post-Workshop

Documentation to create:

Meeting notes
Positioning statement (clean version)
Positioning document
Validation plan
Implementation tracker

Common Workshop Challenges (And Solutions)

Challenge 1: “We can’t agree on target customer”

Why it happens: Founders want to serve everyone

Solution:

Show customer interview data
Identify who gets value FASTEST
Start narrow, expand later
Vote if still stuck

Challenge 2: “Our differentiation isn’t unique enough”

Why it happens: Looking at features, not capabilities

Solution:

Review the 5 attribute types (technology, approach, focus, ecosystem, data)
Ask “what can we do that alternatives can’t?”
Look at customer quotes on why they chose you

Challenge 3: “This doesn’t sound ‘marketing-y’ enough”

Why it happens: Confusing positioning (internal) with messaging (external)

Solution:

Explain positioning drives messaging, but isn’t customer-facing copy
This is strategy, not final headlines
Show examples of positioning vs. taglines

Challenge 4: “We ran out of time”

Why it happens: Too much debate, not enough decision-making

Solution:

Use timer strictly
Vote when stuck (2-min debate max, then vote)
Can always refine later
Perfect is the enemy of done

Challenge 5: “Sales/marketing doesn’t agree”

Why it happens: Different perspectives on what resonates

Solution:

Ground in customer data (what did they actually say?)
Both voices matter - that’s why they’re in the room
Find compromise that satisfies both
Remember: you’ll validate with customers

Real Workshop Example

The Company

SaaS analytics platform, 40 customers, messaging was all over the place.

The Process

Pre-Workshop:

Interviewed 12 customers
Pattern: 10 of 12 were e-commerce companies
Pain: “Google Analytics doesn’t show profitability per product”
Alternative: All tried Google Analytics + spreadsheets

Session 1:

Target customer: E-commerce brands ($1M-$10M revenue)
Primary alternative: Google Analytics + spreadsheets
Unique attributes: Profit tracking (not just revenue), SKU-level analysis, Shopify integration
Value: “Know which products are actually profitable”

Session 2:

Category: Existing (“analytics platform”)
Differentiation: Vertical (e-commerce) + capability (profit-focused)
Positioning statement

For e-commerce brands

Who don't know which products are actually profitable

[Product] is an analytics platform built for e-commerce

That shows profit (not just revenue) at the SKU level

Unlike Google Analytics which only tracks sessions and revenue

We integrate with Shopify and show real profitability

Validation:

11 of 12 customers: “Yes, that’s exactly why we bought”
Homepage engagement: +35% time on page
Demo quality: Fewer “what do you do?” questions

Results (6 months):

Sales cycle: 30 days → 21 days
Win rate: 18% → 28%
Average deal size: +22% (positioning enabled premium pricing)

Positioning Workshop Checklist

2 Weeks Before

☐ Schedule Session 1 (3 hours)

☐ Schedule Session 2 (3 hours, 1-2 days after Session 1)

☐ Invite required participants (5-8 people)

☐ Assign homework (interviews, research, audit)

1 Week Before

☐ Complete 10-15 customer interviews

☐ Create customer interview summary

☐ Complete competitor analysis

☐ Audit current messaging

☐ Send pre-work to participants

☐ Send pre-workshop survey (optional)

Day Before

☐ Confirm all participants attending

☐ Verify pre-work completed

☐ Set up whiteboard/Miro board

☐ Print customer interview summary

☐ Review facilitation guide

☐ Prepare snacks/coffee

Day Of (Session 1)

☐ Arrive 15 min early

☐ Test technology (screen share, Miro, etc.)

☐ Welcome participants

☐ Set ground rules

☐ Follow agenda strictly

☐ Capture all outputs

☐ Assign any homework for Session 2

Day Of (Session 2)

☐ Recap Session 1 outputs

☐ Follow agenda

☐ Make all decisions

☐ Document positioning statement

☐ Create validation plan

☐ Assign owners and deadlines

☐ Schedule follow-up meeting (4 weeks out)

Within 1 Week After

☐ Send meeting notes

☐ Create positioning document

☐ Begin validation testing

☐ Start implementation

☐ Track metrics

Download the Complete Workshop Kit

Everything you need to run your own positioning workshop:

Included in the kit:

Complete facilitator script (word-for-word)
PowerPoint presentation (ready to use)
Miro board template (pre-built exercises)
Exercise worksheets (printable)
Customer interview script
Competitor analysis template
Pre-workshop survey template
Post-workshop action plan
Sample positioning statements
Validation checklist

Download Complete Workshop Kit →

Need Help Running Your Workshop?

Option 1: DIY with Our Templates

Use this guide + download our workshop kit. Run it yourself.

Best for: Teams with 2-3 weeks to prepare, budget-conscious, want to learn the process.

Time required: 2 weeks prep | 6 hours workshop | 2 weeks validation

Option 2: We Facilitate Your Workshop

We run the entire workshop for you, on-site or virtual.

What’s included:

Pre-workshop customer interviews (we do them)
Complete facilitation (we run both sessions)
Real-time note-taking and documentation
Positioning statement delivered at end of Session 2
Implementation roadmap with owners
30-day validation support

Investment: Contact for pricing

Best for: Teams who want expert facilitation, outside perspective, and guaranteed results.

Option 3: Positioning Intelligence Sprint

Skip the workshop. We do the entire positioning process for you.

What you get:

Complete positioning research and analysis
Customer interviews (we conduct them)
Positioning statement
Proof map and messaging hierarchy
5 homepage headlines
3 outbound angles
Implementation roadmap

Delivered in 10 days

Best for: Fast-moving teams, companies who want it done right without investing internal time.

Learn About Positioning Sprint →

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the workshop take?

Total: 6 hours split across 2 sessions (3 hours each)

Plus prep time: 2 weeks for customer interviews and research

Don’t rush it. Trying to do it in one 3-hour session means you’ll skip important steps.

Can we do it virtually?

Yes. Virtual works well if you:

Use Miro or FigJam (not just slides)
Keep cameras on
Use breakout rooms for individual work
Take breaks every hour
Limit to 3 hours per session

What if we can’t get everyone in the room?

Minimum required:

At least one founder
Marketing OR sales lead (ideally both)
Product lead

Can still work with 3-4 people, but you lose diverse perspectives.

Don’t do solo. Positioning requires multiple viewpoints.

Do we need customer interviews before?

Yes. Non-negotiable.

Positioning without customer data is guessing. You’ll create something that sounds good to you but means nothing to buyers.

Minimum: 10 customer interviews

Use our Customer Interview Script to get started.

What if we disagree on positioning?

This is normal. That’s why you run the workshop to get alignment.

How to resolve:

Ground in customer data (what did they actually say?)
Vote when stuck (majority rules)
Remember: you’ll validate with customers anyway
Perfect is the enemy of done

If you fundamentally can’t agree: You might need outside facilitation.

Can we run the workshop ourselves or do we need a facilitator?

You can facilitate yourself if:

You follow the agenda strictly
Someone neutral facilitates (not the CEO)
You’re disciplined about time limits
You’re willing to vote instead of debate

You need outside facilitation if:

HiPPO (highest paid person) tends to dominate
Team can’t make decisions without endless debate
You’ve tried before and got stuck
You want outside perspective

Related Resources

Foundation

Ultimate Guide to SaaS Positioning - Complete positioning framework

How to Create a Positioning Statement - Step-by-step process

12 Positioning Statement Examples - Real companies analyzed

Workshop Materials\

Customer Interview Script - Questions to ask customers

Competitor Analysis Template - Track and analyze competitors

Positioning Validation Checklist - 20 tests for your positioning

Key Takeaways

Workshop Format:

6 hours total (3 hours × 2 sessions)
5-8 participants (founders, product, marketing, sales, CS)
Requires 2 weeks prep (customer interviews, competitor research)

Session 1 (Discovery): Review customer insights | Map alternatives | Identify unique attributes | Translate attributes to value

Session 2 (Positioning): Make category decision | Choose differentiation angle | Draft positioning statement | Plan validation and rollout

Success Factors: Don’t skip customer interviews | Use customer language, not company jargon | Vote to resolve disagreements | Make decisions in the room | Assign owners and deadlines

Next Steps:

Download the workshop kit
Schedule your sessions
Complete pre-work
Run the workshop
Validate and implement

Remember: The workshop creates your positioning. Implementation determines if it works. Stay disciplined about using it consistently across all touchpoints.