From the field
The STP sequence
The order of operations that segments a market, chooses which segments to pursue, and only then writes positioning, because positioning written before targeting is written for nobody.
Most local businesses build in reverse: website first, message first, audience last. The result is positioning aimed at an average customer who does not exist, and ad campaigns that can only compete on price.
Use it when
- A new client's proposition is "we do everything for everyone"
- An ad account targets one broad audience with one message
- You are writing or rewriting a landing page from scratch
Do not use it when
- The market genuinely has one segment, such as emergency locksmiths
- Positioning is already proven and the problem is media, not message
The steps
- Segment by situation, not demographics. Split the market by the problem and its urgency, not by age and postcode.
- Score each segment. Rate lifetime value, competition, and how easy the segment is to reach. Pick one or two, not four.
- Write positioning per chosen segment. One sentence: for whom, what outcome, why you over the obvious alternative. That sentence is also a promise, and the Alevli gap is how you decide how high to pitch it.
- Let positioning dictate media. Keywords, creative, and landing pages follow from the segment, never the other way round.
Segmentation, targeting, positioning
Segment
Target
Position
Worked example
A physiotherapy practice with a €2,500/month budget, illustrative numbers:
| Segment | Avg. LTV | Competition | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office workers, chronic back pain | €540 (9 sessions) | High | Chosen |
| Amateur athletes, sports injury | €300 (5 sessions) | Medium | Chosen |
| General "physio near me" | €240 | Very high | Dropped |
Dropping the generic segment cut the keyword list by 60% and let both remaining campaigns say something specific enough to click.
Why it works
Specific positioning raises expected CTR and conversion rate at the same time, which compounds: better ads cost less per click and convert more of the clicks they win. Averages can't do either.
Who this is for
The same method, read three ways.
01
Running it
Segment on something that changes behaviour, score the segments honestly, and only then write positioning. Written in the other order, it is positioning against everybody.
02
Teaching it
The order is the lesson. Students reliably write the positioning first, and seeing the keyword list collapse once a segment is dropped makes the cost of that concrete.
03
Choosing who to sell to
Pick one or two groups you can genuinely serve better than anyone. Dropping the generic segment is what lets the rest of your marketing say something specific.