3 positioning dials you can turn

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When Crosby launched earlier this year, they turned the competition dial.

Instead of saying “We are a VC backed tech start-up providing legal solutions”, they said “We are an AI powered law firm.” Hereby positioning themselves as a much faster (and probably much cheaper) alternative to traditional business law firms.

That’s smart – or at least interesting.

It also gives some insights in the dials you can turn when positioning your firm, team, or solution in a relevant market.

I believe there are 3 dials you can turn:

1. How you differ: the competition dial – that Crosby used.
2. What you offer: the product or service dial.
3. Who you serve: the client dial.

Here are a couple of thoughts for each of these 3 dials.

Turning the client dial

Remember the positioning statement? The statement which answers that ridiculous hard question: “What do we want to be known for?” 

A framework for this statement is:

For [ideal clients] we are the [market definition] that delivers [promise].

When positioning your firm, team, or solution in a relevant market, it’s important to understand what organizations are your ideal clients.

If demand for your solution within a current market is low, you can try and switch to one that experiences more pain and as a result has a more urgent demand for your solution.

If, on the other hand, costs of switching to an alternative solution become low enough for your current clients, you may be forced to shift your attention and marketing efforts to other markets.

In all cases, it’s important to understand whether potential clients recognize you as a credible provider of the solution you’re offering. 

This ties in directly to the next dial you can turn…

Turning the service dial

Let’s assume that at this point in time, you’re delivering the solution your ideal clients need in a way they expect. That’s good news! You’re currently recognized as a credible solutions provider.

However, chances are this will change over time. 

Events and developments have always impacted the need for particular solutions, but also delivery expectations.

Cars replaced horses and carriages. Netflix replaced DVDs. And ChatGPT is replacing review rounds 1 and 2 for legal documents – while at the same time reducing hours of anticipated waiting time to seconds.

As a result, you may need to turn the service dial. 

You can go deep or broad. Zooming in on a specific industry, topic, or expertise versus adding additional services to provide clients with a one-stop shop.

On top of that you may also want to reconsider the way you deliver value. And differentiate yourself from the competition through the technology you use, your methodology, or industry insights others simply don’t have.

Turning the competition dial

And then, there’s the competition dial. The one that Crosby turned.

Of course, it’s easier for a start-up to turn this dial. As an incumbent, you’re most likely already considered ‘a market definition’ for a specific market.

On the other hand, traditional accounting firms managed to position themselves as consultants, software implementation partners, and even design agencies…

I think the 3 dials are helpful when you’re working on the positioning for your firm, your team, or a solution. Let me know what you think!

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Thank you for reading MBD Spark #93, sent on October 16, 2025.