Product positioning can’t be built in a vacuum. It is not a solo sport. To be great, it requires a lot of input and buy-in across your company. There’s an African proverb that says “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” To me, product positioning workshops are the best way for companies to go far together.

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What is product positioning?

Product positioning is context setting for your audience. I’ve heard it described as the opening scene of a movie or TV show pilot, where you get introduced to key information about time, place, characters—and over the course of a few minutes, you get a general idea of what you’re watching and (hopefully) why you should care about the story’s main characters.

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Now, if we’re sticking with the TV analogy, I like to think of product positioning as something that should be developed in a Writer’s Room, not by one overly caffeinated marketer typing into the void. Great TV shows aren’t written in isolation. They’re crafted by a room full of writers, editors, and showrunners who all bring unique perspectives to the story. Someone brings the emotional arc. Someone makes sure the storyline holds up in Season 4. Someone makes sure the jokes actually land.

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That kind of creative tension and collaboration? It’s gold.

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Unfortunately, most B2B tech companies approach positioning like Westley charging into the Fire Swamp solo: armed with nothing but optimism and a vague plan. Sure, he makes it through, but not without getting singed, half-drowned, and attacked by a Rodent of Unusual Size. 

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A few people huddle together to crank out a “we help [X] do [Y] with [Z]” line and call it a day. Then they don't touch it again until a big funding round, a website redesign, or a CMO swap forces a revisit. That’s like writing your pilot and never checking to see if your characters made it to episode two.

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When positioning gets attention

As a product marketer, there are two times where I can guarantee I’ll be called into a cross-functional meeting:

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1. When the win/loss analysis is showing more L’s than W’s and the Sales team is begging for better competitive tools.
   
   
2. When the Founder or CMO returns from a trade show and suddenly realizes that we (and all our competitors) are saying the exact same thing.
   
   

Product positioning is not a “set it and forget it” kind of thing. Your place in the market shifts as customer needs evolve, as competitors launch new stuff, and as outside forces (economic booms, budget freezes, layoffs, you name it) shake up the landscape. The story you told last year might be completely misaligned with what your buyers need to hear today.

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Who belongs in a positioning workshop?

So, who should be in the room when it’s time to refresh your positioning? Everyone who’s market-facing needs a seat at the table. Why? Because for positioning to stick, every team needs to understand it, believe in it, and shape how they apply it. This isn’t just a “marketing” thing. This is a whole company clarity thing.

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Here’s your core cast of characters and what happens when they’re either included (or missing).

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CEO/Founder
Role: Sets the tone for the vision, values, and what kind of company you’re trying to build.
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Without them: Nobody takes the work seriously. The positioning doc becomes a PDF graveyard.
‍‍With them: Everyone aligns around where the company is headed. Messaging and product strategy actually match. Miracles happen.

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Product
Role: Brings clarity on current capabilities and what’s coming. Helps identify the real value props.
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Without them: You risk selling a dream you can’t deliver.
With them: You get honest constraints and valuable ideas to shape the story your buyers will believe.

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Engineering
Role: Provides insight into how hard or easy things are to build and scale. Also helps squash the "why can't we just add AI?" dreams early.
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Without them: The roadmap and messaging drift apart fast.
With them: They help shape a more honest, future-proof narrative.

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Customer Success
Role: Knows exactly where customers get stuck, what they love, and what causes churn.
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Without them: You miss the voice of your actual users.
With them: You turn positioning into retention fuel.

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Marketing
Role: Applies the positioning to campaigns, channels, and messaging that generate demand.
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Without them: You end up with a great story nobody hears.
With them: They bring it to life and make it resonate.

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Product Marketing
Role: Connects the dots between product, marketing, and sales. Owns the positioning process.
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Without them: Chaos. Literal chaos.
With them: The whole thing runs like a well-oiled (and actually strategic) machine.

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Sales
Role: Has real talk with prospects every day and can sniff out BS positioning in seconds.
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Without them: You write messaging that doesn't match buyer objections.
With them: You sharpen your pitch and close more deals.

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Tips for assembling your positioning workshop

1. Assign homework.
Get everyone speaking the same language. Have your team read chapters 1, 2, and 10 of April Dunford’s Obviously Awesome. Or cue up her podcast: easy listening for that morning commute or dog walk.

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2. Book enough time.
Positioning takes space to breathe. Plan for 3 hours total. Two 90-minute sessions work well if you’ve got a good facilitator. Record the sessions and transcribe them. Future You will thank you.

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3. Set ground rules.
Encourage specific examples, not opinions. Keep roadmap and naming debates in the “parking lot.” No side slacks.

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4. Follow an agenda.
Each topic deserves 20–30 minutes. Stick to it. If a convo heats up, “parking lot” it and move on.

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5. Use a facilitator.
Please. Let your product marketer participate instead of juggling Miro boards and fielding rogue feature rants.

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6. Capture everything.
I use a mix of slides with prompts, virtual whiteboards, and FigJam to map out ideas. You do you, just don’t rely on sticky notes and vibes alone.

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7. Allow for follow-up.
The best ideas often come after the fact: on a walk, in the shower, or in the middle of a Tuesday Slack rant. Make space for post-workshop feedback.

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More than just positioning

Positioning workshops are one of the most powerful ways to strengthen your brand, your strategy, and your culture, all in one go. They give your team a rare moment to zoom out from day-to-day execution and ask the big questions:
 

What do we stand for? Who do we serve best? Why does this company exist, and why are we proud to be here?

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Done right, it’s not just about sharpening your pitch. It’s about rallying your team around a shared story, and giving everyone the chance to help write the next chapter.

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P.S. If your positioning could use a refresh, or you just want someone to help wrangle your team through the Fire Swamp, Miracle Max offers collaborative, no-fluff positioning workshops. Reach out if you want to learn more or see if it’s a fit for your team.

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