How Superhuman became memorable

Key Concepts:

• Positioning: Establishing a clear and distinct identity for a brand in the minds of consumers.
• Value Proposition: The benefit or value that a product or service offers to customers.
• Incumbents: Established companies that dominate a particular market.
• Cocktail Party Test: A method for gauging how easily and effectively people can describe and promote a product.

Superhuman's Positioning Strategy: Speed

The speaker discusses the importance of a clear and memorable position for a brand, using Superhuman as a case study. To achieve this, he details the process of identifying and validating "speed" as Superhuman's core position.

1. Customer Interviews and Problem Identification:

• Hundreds of potential customers were interviewed about their experiences with Gmail and Outlook.
• The primary pain point identified was that "email takes way too much time."
• A secondary, but significant, issue was that Gmail and Outlook were perceived as "way too slow."
• This observation led to the initial consideration of "speed" as a potential positioning strategy.

2. Evaluating the Position: Uniqueness and Availability:

• The speaker questioned whether the position of "speed" was unique and available in the market.
• The conclusion was "overwhelmingly yes" because almost no software was being marketed primarily on the value proposition of speed.

3. Alignment with Product Strategy:

• The speaker assessed whether "speed" reinforced Superhuman's overall product strategy.
• The answer was again "overwhelmingly yes," indicating a strong alignment.

4. Competitive Advantage Against Incumbents:

• The speaker recognized that Superhuman's primary competition would be established companies (incumbents) like Google and Microsoft.
• He believed that incumbents "generally struggle with speed" due to their "massive scale" and "entrenched architecture."
• This inherent disadvantage of incumbents further solidified "speed" as a viable and advantageous position for Superhuman.

5. The Cocktail Party Test:

• The "cocktail party test" was used to observe how people naturally described Superhuman to others.
• The typical pitch was simple and direct: "Dude, you have to use it, it's really fast."
• This concise and compelling pitch validated "speed" as an effective and easily communicable position.

Notable Quotes:

• "Dude, you have to use it, it's really fast." - Example of a successful "cocktail party" pitch, demonstrating the effectiveness of "speed" as a position.

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The speaker emphasizes the importance of a clear and well-defined position for a brand's success. Through customer interviews, market analysis, strategic alignment, and the "cocktail party test," Superhuman successfully identified and validated "speed" as its core position. This position not only addressed a key customer pain point but also provided a competitive advantage against established incumbents. The process highlights the value of thorough research and validation in developing a strong and memorable brand identity.