A lot of our companies have a hard time with competitive positioning.

Maybe I’m a nerd, but it seems pretty straight ahead to me.

I take my playbook from Hammacher Schlemmer.  When they have something in their catalog, it’s either “best” or “only”.  Maybe, once in a blue moon, it’s “first” as well.  But “first” has all too brief a moment in the sun before it has to become “best” or “only” or die.

So my formula for competitive position is something like: “<Widget> is the <only-or-best> <solution> with <benefit(s)>”

• “VHS is the only videotape format with 3 1/2 hours recording time” (I think that was the number)
• “Baby aspirin is the best medicine for preventing heart attacks” (Maybe that’s true, maybe not, but you get the idea.)
• “Hydrogen is the only fuel with no greenhouse emissions.”

Thoughts?