Positioning in times of turmoil

There’s one thing I’ve noticed about bootstrapped startups: They usually nail their positioning. They focus in on a very specific market, they are very clear about their value proposition, and they know exactly who their ideal customers are.

In times when venture funding is uncertain, every startup really should think like a bootstrapped startup. When you’re uncertain whether or not that next funding round is coming, profitability should be the number one goal.

This means being brutally focused, and ensuring your value proposition is rock solid. If your customers are feeling budget pinches, you need to make sure the value you provide is huge — and to do that, you need to focus on the people who will get the most value from your product, and make sure you tell them exactly what value they can expect.

Solid positioning is more important as resources are scarcer. If you’re not sure where to start, use this positioning canvas to clarify your positioning and see if you have any holes to address.