Bold positioning starts with saying no
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” - Michael E. Porter
If that quote feels obvious, you’re probably not applying it.
Most companies talk about focus the way people talk about drinking more water or getting better sleep. As something virtuous and vague, just out of reach. But when it comes to actual choices, the kind that eliminate options, turn down projects, close off entire categories, that’s where the conviction becomes a yes in disguise. It’s easier to add yet another service than subtract.
But positioning, if it’s to mean anything, demands subtraction. It’s not a celebration of what you can do, it’s a declaration of what you choose to be known for. That difference is everything.
Tartine versus vitrine
Service companies in particular wrestle with this daily. On one side sits the tartine (slice of bread): the projects that keep things running, the work that’s predictable, operational, safe. On the other side is the vitrine (shop window): the bold, satisfying, brag-worthy output you’d showcase if you were trying to win hearts, not just pay invoices. The trouble is, most brands try to position themselves with a foot in both. The result? A blurry promise. A brand story no one remembers, and no one can repeat.
The irony is that the tartine doesn’t need your positioning. It happens anyway. Quietly, in the background, through reputation and routine. But the vitrine? That needs a spotlight. A stance. A refusal to dilute. Because you don’t become known for what you tolerate. You become known for what you amplify.
What are you standing for really?
This is the hard edge of strategy. It doesn’t reflect your full capability. It curates it. It forces the uncomfortable but necessary shift from “What do we offer?” to “What are we willing to stand for?” And once you ask that question honestly, a lot of well-meaning fluff falls away.
In our brand positioning workshops, this is often the turning point. Not the big creative leap, but the moment a team admits what they’re no longer interested in. That they’re done shapeshifting. That they’d rather stand for something sharp than float in the nice-but-interchangeable middle.
If you want to build a brand that cuts through, start by choosing what to cut out. Not just in your offer, but in your message, your posture, your tone. A strong position isn’t loud. It’s deliberate. And it usually starts with ‘no’.
Want clarity that cuts through the noise?
Our one-day brand positioning workshop helps you realign your message, sharpen your focus, and start saying no to projects that don’t push your brand forward.
