# **ARC Positioning Intake Questionnaire** **Status / authority:** Current client-readable positioning intake artifact; legacy filename **Effective date:** Authority clarified 2026-08-04 **Dependencies:** `../LEGANT_METHOD_REFERENCE.md` §5; current client Operating Manual and positioning context **Supersedes:** Earlier ad-hoc positioning intake. A later Legant-named revision may supersede this file without rewriting completed client responses. > **Naming notice:** ARC is retained in this filename for compatibility. Current use is an Innate Edge applied protocol of the Legant Method. You know your Innate Edge \- how you're wired. Now we translate that into positioning that makes you **word-of-mouth-able**. Good positioning does five things: * People know exactly when to call you (and when not to) * The right work finds you; the wrong work doesn't * You stop getting scope-creeped into roles that waste your edge * You command better terms because you solve a specific problem better than alternatives * Every project reinforces the same reputation instead of scattering your credibility Most people fail at positioning because they describe themselves generically ("I'm a consultant/PM/developer") instead of owning a specific problem they solve distinctively. This questionnaire is about understanding your competitive landscape **from the buyer's perspective.** What are they actually choosing between? When do they need YOU specifically? What result justifies choosing you over alternatives? **Your job:** Answer honestly from the buyer's viewpoint. We'll handle the translation. --- ## **SECTION 1: LOCK THE CONTEXT** **1\. Vehicle Confirmation** What is the specific role/service/offering we're positioning? *(e.g., "Implementation Partner for HR Consultants," "Fractional COO for early-stage SaaS," "Strategic Project Lead for organizational change")* **2\. The Decider (The Money Flow)** Who is the specific person (role/title) who says YES to hiring you, buying from you, or bringing you on? * If it's a service: who writes the check or approves the budget? * If it's a job: who makes the final hiring decision? * If multiple people are involved: who has final approval? --- ## **SECTION 2: COMPETITIVE ALTERNATIVES** **3\. The Actual Alternatives (Behavioral Reality)** What are the 3-5 actual alternatives this buyer considers when they have this problem? Think **behaviors** (what they DO), not just competitors (who else they might hire). Include options like: * Specific competitors or alternative service providers * DIY/internal solutions (what does that look like?) * Different service categories they might consider instead * Doing nothing / living with the problem * Patchwork solutions (free tools, freelancers, partial fixes) **Alternative 1:** **Alternative 2:** **Alternative 3:** **Alternative 4:** *(optional)* **Alternative 5:** *(optional)* **4\. The "Good Enough" Substitute** Which alternative is most dangerous \- the one that works well enough that they might not choose you? **5\. The Comparison (Trade-offs & Differentiation)** Think of the last 2-3 people who do similar work (colleagues, contractors, people the decider might hire instead of you). **Part A: When are they the better choice?** Let's be honest about the market. For what specific type of client or situation is the Alternative actually the better choice than you? **Part B: Where do you work differently \- what do you naturally do that they typically don't?** (Not "better" \- just different. What's your default mode vs. theirs?) **6\. The Boundaries (What You Don't Do)** **Part A: Which specific tasks or responsibilities are NOT your domain?** (What stays with the client, what you refuse to touch, what you're not equipped to handle) **Part B: Which tasks have you done in the past that you want to STOP doing moving forward?** (Where has scope crept? What drains you? What should you delegate or eliminate?) --- ## **SECTION 3: BUYING TRIGGERS & STAKES** **7\. The Trigger Moment (The Call)** What's happening in their work/life when they START looking for this solution? What's the catalyst that makes them act? At what specific moment in their situation would they realize, "I need this person/solution," and reach out? **8\. Stakes/Urgency (What's at Risk)** What's at risk if they DON'T solve this? * Financial cost? * Career/reputation risk? * Team/organizational dysfunction? * Opportunity cost? * Competitive disadvantage? **9\. Success Definition (The Finish Line)** Fast forward to after they've hired you or implemented this solution and you’ve delivered. **From the decider's perspective:** what specific result would need to be TRUE for them to think "this worked" and feel confident recommending you to others? --- ## **END OF QUESTIONNAIRE** **What happens next:** We'll use your answers \+ your Innate Edge to engineer your positioning \- mapping your unique attributes to the specific outcomes these buyers care about, relative to their actual alternatives.