How to reposition a product
Reposition a product by re-running positioning from scratch, not by editing the old copy. Let go of the market you started in, list today’s real alternatives, isolate what only you do now, map it to value, find who cares most, and choose the frame that makes it obvious. Then roll it out as a company change.
When to reposition
When the product has outgrown its original market, when your unique features have become table stakes, or when buyers keep comparing you to a competitor you were never built to beat. Dunford describes a startup she joined early in her career that built a fast database prospects would not buy, because they already had Oracle. Repositioning it as a business intelligence tool put its speed at the center.
Steps
Let go of where you came from
The original idea is history, not a constraint.
List current alternatives
From recent won and lost deals, not the first pitch deck.
Isolate your uniqueness
What you have that alternatives do not, today.
Map uniqueness to value
What each attribute lets customers do.
Find who cares most
The buyers for whom that value is urgent.
Choose a new frame of reference
The market that makes the value obvious.
Roll it out everywhere
Roadmap, pricing, sales, partners and support, not only the website.
Repositioning vs refreshing messaging
| Question | Refresh messaging | Reposition |
|---|---|---|
| What changes | Words, order and proof | Market frame, alternatives and target customer |
| Who is involved | Marketing | Founders, product, sales and marketing |
| Typical trigger | Copy feels dated | Buyers misread what you are |
| What it touches | Website and collateral | Pricing, roadmap and sales motion too |
Dunford is blunt about the second column: change the market you compete in and buyer expectations about competitors, pricing and sales channels change with it.
FAQs
How do I know the new positioning is better?
Pitch it to prospects before you rebuild the site. Listen for whether they repeat the value back and compare you to the alternative you expect.
Is a rebrand part of repositioning?
Not necessarily. Change the strategy first. Rebrand only if the old name or look contradicts the new position.
What do I tell existing customers?
Tell them directly what changed and what stays the same. They bought the product, not the old description of it.