---
name: building-brand
description: >
  Builds brand positioning, messaging, and content strategy through Dunford Positioning,
  StoryBrand narrative, and distribution-first content architecture. Use when defining
  positioning, writing brand messaging, planning content strategy, creating editorial
  calendars, or when someone asks "how should we talk about [YOUR_COMPANY]?"
version: 1.0
created: 2026-02-20
author: founder
tags: [brand, positioning, messaging, content-strategy, storybrand, dunford]
triggers:
  - "how should we talk about [YOUR_COMPANY]?"
  - "define our positioning"
  - "write brand messaging for..."
  - "plan content strategy"
  - "create an editorial calendar"
  - "what's our brand voice?"
  - "positioning for a new market"
  - "website copy / hero section"
  - "elevator pitch"
  - "one-liner"
---

# Skill: Building Brand

Build your company's brand positioning, messaging, and content engine -- from defining how you are different to ensuring the right people hear about it. This skill sequences four frameworks plus a channel evaluation layer.

---

## When to Invoke This Skill

- Defining or refining your market positioning (new market, new product, pivot)
- Writing the one-liner, elevator pitch, or website hero copy
- Creating a brand voice guide for a new channel (social media, messaging apps, email)
- Planning a quarterly content calendar or launching a content pillar
- Evaluating which marketing channels to invest in
- Someone asks "how should we position ourselves?" or "what should we say about X?"

---

## Framework Stack (Sequenced)

```
Phase 1: APRIL DUNFORD POSITIONING       (~2-3 hours)  -> "How are we different and for whom?"
Phase 2: STORYBRAND BRANDSCRIPT          (~2 hours)    -> "What story do we tell?"
Phase 3: BRAND VOICE GUIDE               (~1-2 hours)  -> "How do we sound across channels?"
Phase 4: CONTENT ARCHITECTURE & CALENDAR (~3-4 hours)  -> "What do we publish, where, when?"
Phase 5: BULLSEYE CHANNEL EVALUATION     (~2 hours)    -> "Which channels deserve our budget?"
```

**Phase 1 (Dunford) is the PRIMARY HOME for your positioning.** Other skills -- designing-business-models, launching-go-to-market, raising-capital -- reference positioning output from here.

---

## Phase 1: April Dunford Positioning (~2-3 hours)

**Goal:** Define your positioning using the five components from "Obviously Awesome." This is the canonical positioning document -- all messaging downstream derives from it.

**Instructions:** Review your strategic plan and competitive landscape documentation. Work bottom-up: Competitive Alternatives -> Unique Attributes -> Value -> Best-Fit Customers -> Market Category. Validate each with evidence.

### Positioning Canvas Template

```markdown
# [YOUR_COMPANY] Positioning Canvas (April Dunford)
# Date: YYYY-MM-DD | Scope: [Core / Product / Geography]
# Status: [ ] Draft  [ ] Validated with customers  [ ] Final

## 1. COMPETITIVE ALTERNATIVES
# What would customers do if [YOUR_COMPANY] did not exist? Include "do nothing" and "build in-house."
| # | Alternative | Type | Key Strength | Key Weakness |
|---|------------|------|-------------|-------------|
| 1 |            |      |             |             |
| 2 |            |      |             |             |
| 3 |            |      |             |             |
| 4 | Do nothing / build in-house | Status quo | No vendor dependency | High cost, long timeline |

## 2. UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES
# PROVABLE capabilities alternatives cannot match. Map each to what it differentiates against.
| # | Attribute | Proof Point | Differentiates Against |
|---|-----------|------------|----------------------|
| 1 |           |            |                      |
| 2 |           |            |                      |
| 3 |           |            |                      |

## 3. VALUE (mapped to attributes)
# Customer outcomes, not features. Frame as "so the customer can..."
| # | Value (customer outcome) | Traced to Attribute(s) | Quantified If Possible |
|---|-------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
| 1 |                         |                      |                      |
| 2 |                         |                      |                      |
| 3 |                         |                      |                      |

## 4. BEST-FIT CUSTOMERS
# Who cares MOST? Not all customers -- the ones who buy fastest, pay most, churn least.
- Profile: _______________________________________________________________
- Characteristics: 1. _____________ 2. _____________ 3. _____________
- Why they care more: ____________________________________________________
- Where to find them: ____________________________________________________

## 5. MARKET CATEGORY
# What category makes [YOUR_COMPANY]'s strengths obvious?
- Category: _________________________ | Type: [ ] Existing [ ] Sub [ ] New
- What it tells customers to expect: ____________________________________
- How [YOUR_COMPANY] wins within it: _______________________________________________

## POSITIONING STATEMENT
# "For [best-fit customers] who [key need], [YOUR_COMPANY] is the [market category]
#  that [key value]. Unlike [alternatives], [YOUR_COMPANY] [unique attributes]."
_________________________________________________________________________
```

### Positioning Reference

| Component | Current State | Tension to Resolve |
|-----------|--------------|-------------------|
| Alternatives | [List 3-4 competitive alternatives customers would use] | [Note any emerging competitive threats] |
| Attributes | [List unique, provable capabilities] | Which are provable today vs. roadmap? |
| Value | [List customer outcomes your attributes enable] | Quantify with customer data |
| Best-Fit | [Describe ideal customer profile for PRIMARY_MARKET] | Narrow: what size? stage? trigger? |
| Category | [YOUR_CATEGORY_DESCRIPTION] | [ANALOGY_OPTION_A] vs. [ANALOGY_OPTION_B] -- Dunford resolves this |

**Output:** Save as your positioning canvas document.

---

## Phase 2: StoryBrand BrandScript (~2 hours)

**Goal:** Transform positioning into narrative. Produce one-liner, elevator pitch, and website hero copy.

**Instructions:** Read Phase 1 output. Complete all 7 elements. Derive messaging. Test: Can someone outside your company understand the one-liner in 5 seconds?

### BrandScript Template

```markdown
# [YOUR_COMPANY] BrandScript (StoryBrand)
# Date: YYYY-MM-DD | Derived from: Positioning Canvas dated ___

## 1. CHARACTER (the customer -- NOT [YOUR_COMPANY])
- Character: _________________________ | External want: _________________________
- Inner motivation: ________________________________________________________

## 2. PROBLEM
- External (tangible): _______________________________________________________
- Emotional (inner): ______________________________________________________
- Philosophical (why it's wrong): ____________________________________________
- Villain (root cause, NOT a competitor): _____________________________________

## 3. GUIDE ([YOUR_COMPANY])
- Empathy: "We know what it's like to... _____________________________________"
- Authority: 1. _________________ 2. _________________ 3. _________________

## 4. PLAN (3 steps)
| Step | Action | What Happens |
|------|--------|-------------|
| 1    |        |             |
| 2    |        |             |
| 3    |        |             |

## 5. CALL TO ACTION
- Direct CTA: _________________________ | Transitional CTA: _________________________

## 6. SUCCESS
- Before: _________________ -> After: _________________ -> Transformation: _________________

## 7. FAILURE (stakes if they do NOT act)
_________________________________________________________________________

---
## DERIVED MESSAGING

### One-Liner ([Problem] + [Solution] + [Result])
_________________________________________________________________________

### Elevator Pitch (30 seconds)
_________________________________________________________________________

### Website Hero
- Headline (<=8 words): ___________________________________________________
- Subheadline: ____________________________________________________________
- CTA button: _________________ | Supporting line: _________________________
```

### BrandScript Starting Points

| Element | Starting Point |
|---------|---------------|
| Character | [YOUR_BUYER_PERSONA: role, company type, scale] |
| External problem | [THE_TANGIBLE_PAIN: integration complexity, cost, timeline] |
| Emotional problem | [THE_EMOTIONAL_PAIN: what frustrates them daily] |
| Philosophical | [THE_INJUSTICE: why the status quo is wrong] |
| Villain | [THE_ROOT_CAUSE: systemic issue, not a competitor] |
| Guide empathy | [YOUR_FOUNDER_CREDIBILITY: relevant experience that proves you understand] |
| Plan | Connect -> Configure -> Launch (or your equivalent 3-step process) |

**Output:** Save as your brandscript document.

---

## Phase 3: Brand Voice Guide (~1-2 hours)

**Goal:** Define how your company sounds across every channel. Ensure consistency from social media to messaging apps to investor emails.

### Brand Voice Guide Template

```markdown
# [YOUR_COMPANY] Brand Voice Guide
# Date: YYYY-MM-DD | Archetype: [YOUR_PRIMARY_ARCHETYPE] (primary) + [YOUR_SECONDARY_ARCHETYPE] (secondary)

## Voice Dimensions (1-10 on each spectrum)
| Formal <-> Casual | Serious <-> Playful | Technical <-> Accessible | Reserved <-> Enthusiastic |
|-------------------|---------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
| [___]             | [___]               | [___]                   | [___]                    |

## Five Brand Adjectives: 1. ___ 2. ___ 3. ___ 4. ___ 5. ___

## Channel-Specific Tone
| Channel | Tone | Length | Do | Don't | Example |
|---------|------|--------|-----|-------|---------|
| LinkedIn | | | | | |
| Twitter/X | | | | | |
| [dominant channel in PRIMARY_MARKET] | | | | | |
| Email (investor/client) | | | | | |
| API Docs / Dev Content | | | | | |

## Global Rules
ALWAYS: Lead with customer problem, not features | Use concrete numbers | Active voice |
Lead with product outcomes, not underlying technology externally
NEVER: Lead with implementation details | Jargon in non-dev channels |
Unsubstantiated claims | Passive CTAs | Machine-translated local-language content

## Language Rules
- [PRIMARY_MARKET]: [LOCAL_LANGUAGE] content is non-negotiable (not translated). Market-specific terminology.
- Global: English default. Other markets: same native standard, hire local copywriters.
```

**Output:** Save as your brand voice guide document.

---

## Phase 4: Content Architecture & Editorial Calendar (~3-4 hours)

**Goal:** Build a scalable content engine around pillars and topic clusters, with quarterly calendar and per-piece distribution plan.

**The 80/20 Rule:** 20% creating, 80% distributing. Every piece needs a distribution plan BEFORE creation. If you cannot name 3+ channels, do not create it.

### Step 4.1: Content Pillars & Topic Clusters

```markdown
# Content Architecture Map | Date: YYYY-MM-DD

## Pillars (4-5, each linked to a positioning attribute from Phase 1)
| # | Pillar | Positioning Link | Target Audience | Content Goal |
|---|--------|-----------------|----------------|-------------|
| 1-5 | | | | |

## Topic Clusters (per pillar: 10-20 topics each)
| # | Topic | Format | Target Keyword (SEO) | Funnel Stage |
|---|-------|--------|---------------------|-------------|
| | | | | Awareness / Consideration / Decision |
```

### Step 4.2: SEO Subsection

```markdown
## Keyword Priority List
| # | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Pillar | Priority |
|---|---------|--------|-----------|--------|----------|

## Technical SEO Checklist
- [ ] Site structure mirrors pillar/cluster architecture
- [ ] Hub pages per pillar with internal links to clusters
- [ ] Meta descriptions use positioning language from Phase 1
- [ ] Local-language content has correct hreflang tags for [PRIMARY_MARKET]
```

### Step 4.3: Editorial Calendar

```markdown
## Editorial Calendar: Q_ 20__
| Week | Content Piece | Pillar | Format | Author | Distribution | CTA | Status |
|------|--------------|--------|--------|--------|-------------|-----|--------|

## Cadence: Blog ___/mo | LinkedIn ___/wk | [PRIMARY_CHANNEL] ___/wk | Twitter ___/wk | Newsletter ___/mo | Dev content ___/mo
```

### Step 4.4: Distribution Matrix (per content piece)

```markdown
| Channel | Format | Audience | CTA | Schedule |
|---------|--------|----------|-----|----------|
| LinkedIn | Post / Article / Carousel | | | Day 0 |
| Twitter/X | Tweet / Thread | | | Day 0 |
| [PRIMARY_CHANNEL] | Message / PDF ([LOCAL_LANGUAGE]) | | | Day 1 |
| Email | Newsletter / Standalone | | | Day 2 |
| Dev community | Blog / Tutorial | | | Day 3 |
| Paid | Boosted post / Ad | | | Day 3-7 |

## Checklist: [ ] Published [ ] LinkedIn insight [ ] Twitter thread [ ] [PRIMARY_CHANNEL] [LOCAL_LANGUAGE]
[ ] Dev community [ ] Community groups [ ] Email segment [ ] Paid boost if >2x avg
[ ] Repurpose format within 7 days
```

**Output:** Save as your content architecture and editorial calendar documents.

---

## Phase 5: Bullseye Channel Evaluation (~2 hours)

**Goal:** Evaluate all 19 traction channels (Weinberg's "Traction"), test top 3, double down on winner.

### Bullseye Template

```markdown
# Bullseye Channel Evaluation | Date: YYYY-MM-DD

## Outer Ring: Score All 19 Channels (Relevance + Cost + Speed, each 1-5)
| # | Channel | R | C | S | Total | Notes |
|---|---------|---|---|---|-------|-------|
| 1 | Viral Marketing | | | | | |
| 2 | PR / Media | | | | | |
| 3 | Unconventional PR | | | | | |
| 4 | SEM (Search Ads) | | | | | |
| 5 | Social & Display Ads | | | | | |
| 6 | Offline Ads | | | | | |
| 7 | SEO | | | | | |
| 8 | Content Marketing | | | | | |
| 9 | Email Marketing | | | | | |
| 10 | Engineering as Marketing | | | | | |
| 11 | Targeting Blogs | | | | | |
| 12 | Business Development | | | | | |
| 13 | Sales | | | | | |
| 14 | Affiliate Programs | | | | | |
| 15 | Existing Platforms | | | | | |
| 16 | Trade Shows | | | | | |
| 17 | Offline Events | | | | | |
| 18 | Speaking Engagements | | | | | |
| 19 | Community Building | | | | | |

## Middle Ring: Top 6 (Possible)
| # | Channel | Why It Could Work | Test Cost | Duration |
|---|---------|------------------|-----------|----------|

## Inner Ring: Top 3 (Testing)
| # | Channel | Test Design | Success Metric | Threshold | Budget | Timeline |
|---|---------|------------|---------------|-----------|--------|----------|

## Bullseye: Winner = ___ | Evidence: ___ | Scale plan: ___ | Budget: ___%
```

### Channel Hypotheses

| Channel | Hypothesis | Priority |
|---------|-----------|----------|
| Sales (founder-led) | Founder's professional network -- highest conversion for first clients | Test first |
| Content Marketing | Technical content builds developer trust | Test first |
| [PRIMARY_CHANNEL] | [Dominant channel in PRIMARY_MARKET] -- high open rates, direct reach | Test first |
| Conferences | Industry events where your target buyer personas gather | Test second |
| Engineering as Marketing | Open-source SDK, sandbox, integration calculator | Test second |
| Community Building | Developer community around your product category | Defer to Month 12+ |

**Output:** Save as your bullseye evaluation document.

---

## Community Building (Deferred to Month 12+)

Deferred until PLG transition. When activated: platform selection (Discord/Slack), developer advocate hire, progression map (lurker -> participant -> contributor -> champion). For now, focus on 1:1 relationships and content distribution through existing channels.

---

## Deliverables Checklist

| # | Deliverable | Phase |
|---|-------------|-------|
| 1 | Positioning Canvas (Dunford 5-component) | 1 |
| 2 | BrandScript (7-element + one-liner + pitch + hero) | 2 |
| 3 | Brand Voice Guide (dimensions, tone, do's/don'ts) | 3 |
| 4 | Content Architecture Map (pillars, clusters, SEO) | 4 |
| 5 | Editorial Calendar (quarterly + distribution) | 4 |
| 6 | Distribution Matrix template | 4 |
| 7 | Bullseye Channel Evaluation | 5 |

---

## Cross-References

| Skill | Relationship |
|-------|-------------|
| **designing-business-models** | References Phase 1 Positioning Canvas for pricing/segment decisions |
| **launching-go-to-market** | DOWNSTREAM -- consumes messaging, voice guide, channel evaluation |
| **raising-capital** | DOWNSTREAM -- consumes brand voice and positioning for pitch narrative |
| **gathering-competitive-intelligence** | UPSTREAM -- competitive data feeds Phase 1 (Competitive Alternatives) |

---

## Company-Specific Context

### Brand Assets

Customize this section with your brand details:

| Asset | Value | Notes |
|-------|-------|-------|
| Primary color | [YOUR_PRIMARY_COLOR] | Main brand color |
| Secondary color | [YOUR_SECONDARY_COLOR] | Accent / complementary color |
| Backgrounds | [YOUR_BG_COLORS] | Dark, medium, light background variants |
| Font | [YOUR_FONT] (with weights) | Primary typeface |
| Logos | Color + B/W, screen/print variants | All standard formats |
| Visual identity | Examples + source files | Reference for designers |

### Positioning Tension to Resolve

Identify your core positioning tension. For example: **[SIMPLE_ANALOGY]** (strong analogy, but may limit perception) vs. **[ACCURATE_DESCRIPTION]** (more precise, but less immediately graspable). Phase 1 Dunford resolves this by starting from Competitive Alternatives and letting the data determine the framing.

### Local Market Content Requirements

- [PRIMARY_CHANNEL] = primary distribution channel in [PRIMARY_MARKET] (high penetration, high open rates)
- ALL [LOCAL_LANGUAGE] content: native writing, NEVER translations from English
- Require native [LOCAL_LANGUAGE] writing samples from content hires
- Market-specific slang, cultural references, industry terminology

---

## Decision Log

| Decision | Resolution | Rationale |
|----------|-----------|-----------|
| Dunford Positioning primary home | THIS SKILL | Positioning is messaging; other skills reference here |
| Bullseye Framework | INCLUDED | Complements GTM channel selection |
| Community building | DEFERRED (Month 12+) | Premature at small team stage |
| SEO | Subsection of Phase 4 | Distribution channel, not standalone strategy |
| StoryBrand | Selected over alternatives | Most actionable for B2B; concrete deliverables |
| Language policy | Native-first, no translations | Primary market demands native-language content |