I fully believe that great storytelling and great positioning share a key principle: narrative economy.
Maybe you’re familiar with the Russian playwright, Anton Chekhov? He famously said: "If you introduce a gun in the first act, it must go off by the third." In other words, every element in a story should serve a purpose—if it doesn’t contribute to the plot, it should be removed.
This idea applies just as much to product positioning as it does to storytelling. If your positioning is unclear, your messaging likely is cluttered with unnecessary details and broad statements, and you’re likely confusing your potential customers instead of compelling them.
Let’s explore why narrative economy is critical in positioning and how to apply it to create a clear, compelling market presence.
In storytelling, Chekhov’s Gun ensures that every element has meaning. The same rule applies to positioning. Every word in your positioning statement should serve a clear function: to clarify, differentiate, or persuade.
Product owners and founders can stare themselves blind on all the diferent features of their product, making it impossible to select which details are critical from a potential customers perspective.
As a result you often see messaging filled with extraneous details, unnecessary descriptions of features, or unclear differentiation, it dilutes the story and confuses the customer.
Positioning must be precise and purposeful and be centered around the customer and the value, your product bring to them. Use that as a filter, and if a detail doesn’t contribute to understanding how your product improves the life of your customer, cut it.
I utilize Donald Miller’s StoryBrand framework to bring this approach of narrative economy to the positioning and messaging, I deliver. The core idea? Your customer is the hero, not your product.
A common mistake in positioning is making it all about the product and its features instead of focusing on the transformation it provides to the customer.
Consider the difference in these two approaches:
❌ "We offer a next-gen, full-stack, AI-powered analytics tool with advanced customization and automation."
✅ "We help e-commerce brands 10x their revenue by turning customer data into clear, actionable insights."
One is feature-driven, one is customer-centric. Which one do you think resonate most with the potential customer?
My bet is without a doubt on the one making the customer’s problem and transformation the focus.
When the customer is your hero, the words you use, and their context of understanding, should be reflected in the words you use. This means, removing unnecessary and lenghty descriptions of features, and jargon. Center the message on what truly matters to the customer to achive that they:
- See themselves reflected right back
- Get that it solves the exact problem the need to be fixed
- Understand the value it gives them
The sharper your positioning, the easier it is for customers to remember and repeat it.
In contrast, when positioning lacks focus, customers struggle to answer three fundamental questions:
✅ Is it for me?
✅ Does it selve my problem?
✅ What makes this better for me than other products?
Here is an example positioning without a clear hook and a generic point, and an example that makes it easy for the right customer to instantly recognize themselves and see the unique benefit.
❌ Too Broad: "A revolutionary cloud-based security platform designed for businesses of all sizes."
✅ Precise: "Enterprise-grade cybersecurity for mid-market SaaS companies, without the complexity."
Want to refine your positioning? Apply Chekhov’s Gun by ensuring every word serves a purpose. Here’s how:
🔹 Audit your current positioning. Ask: “Does this phrase add clarity or confusion?”
🔹 Cut unnecessary details. If it doesn’t help customers understand, differentiate, or decide, remove it.
🔹 Make the transformation clear. Focus on what happens to the customer when they use your product.
🔹 Test your positioning. Share it with someone unfamiliar with your product and ask: "Can you tell what this does in 10 seconds?"
Positioning, like storytelling, thrives on economy and clarity. The more precise and purposeful your messaging, the stronger your market presence.
Next time you refine your messaging, think like a storyteller — if it doesn’t serve the bigger picture, it doesn’t belong.
🚀 Need help clarifying your positioning? Let’s talk.