by nicvonschneider | May 3, 2026 | Market Positioning
I’ve seen dozens of different definitions of positioning. Every single one seems to inherently ignore the actual point of positioning. Positioning is meant to be an aggressive strategy. Yet every practitioner of positioning seems to confidently expect...
by nicvonschneider | Apr 21, 2026 | Consumer Behavior, Strategic Messaging
Let’s call it what it is: most large brands are built for scale, not speed. They’re structured to preserve what worked, not to pressure-test what’s next. I learned a long time ago working for an accelerator for Fortune 100 brands: “Big Ships Steer Slowly”....
by nicvonschneider | Apr 14, 2026 | Brand Strategy, Growth Marketing
In a recent positioning engagement with a mid-sized B2B company, the leadership team came into the room with the same concern I am hearing across manufacturers, professional service firms, technology companies, medical suppliers, engineering groups, and founder-led...
by nicvonschneider | Apr 12, 2026 | Brand Strategy, Competitive Differentiation
Walk through any industry long enough and you’ll start to notice something strange. Companies insist they’re different. But collectively, all of their websites talk about innovation. Their leadership teams discuss disruption. Their marketing departments...
by nicvonschneider | Mar 17, 2026 | Competitive Differentiation
Most businesses are playing a game they can never actually win. Every year they launch new features. They improve customer service. They invest in better technology. They redesign websites. They collect awards and testimonials. They benchmark competitors and search...
