4.7 KiB
Positioning Updates - January 2026
Date: January 9, 2026
Status: ✅ Strategic decisions documented
Purpose: Summary of critical positioning changes to apply across documentation
Critical Update #1: MCP/SDK/CLI Repositioning
Change
OLD positioning:
"First to MCP" as competitive moat
MCP/SDK/CLI as unique differentiators
NEW positioning:
MCP/SDK/CLI/Lab = table stakes for 2026
Collectively they express "DX-first approach", not competitive advantage
Rationale
- All serious competitors will have MCP in 2026
- Can be replicated in 2-4 weeks by any team
- Like having documentation — expected, not special
- "First to market" advantage is temporary (months, not years)
What IS still defensible
- Template System — Intelligent prompt analysis + granular application (3-6 months to replicate)
- @references consistency — Unique, complex (post-MVP)
- Production pipeline — CDN + transformations included
- DX quality — Sum of all tools + docs + support
Documentation updates required
| Document | Section | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 01-market-positioning-v3.md | Competitive table | Remove MCP/CLI from "unique advantages" |
| 01-market-positioning-v3.md | Moat strategy | Reframe: "Complete DX suite" vs competitors' partial |
| 13-competitive-analysis.md | Competitor features | Update comparison to show MCP as expected |
| 16-product-features.md | MCP section | Reframe as "must-have" not "differentiator" |
Critical Update #2: Template System (Marketing Reframe)
Change
OLD messaging:
"We enhance your prompts"
(Sounds restrictive — "we change what you wrote")
NEW messaging:
"Choose a template that matches your style"
(User control — "you choose, we help")
Key points
- Template is always applied (mandatory) — but framed as "ensures quality"
- Default template: Photorealistic (not "general")
- Granular enhancement:
- Short prompt → full template applied
- Partial prompt → fills missing details only
- Detailed prompt → passes through unchanged
- Custom templates = Pro tier paid feature (replaces separate stylization system)
Full documentation
See: execution/20-template-system.md
Documentation updates required
| Document | Section | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 16-product-features.md | Prompt Enhancement | Rename to "Template System" |
| 10-pricing-strategy.md | Pro features | Add "Custom Templates" as paid feature |
| Landing page copy | Feature descriptions | Update messaging |
| API documentation | Enhancement parameter | Add template selection |
Critical Update #3: Resource Allocation (70/30)
Decision
70% effort: SEO + Content (primary acquisition channel)
30% effort: API refinement + validation outreach
Rationale
- Organic search = highest quality signal
- Content builds sustainable moat (competitors can't copy overnight)
- First Henry article published, pipeline validated
- API is "good enough" for validation flows
Implications
- Don't over-engineer API features before validation
- Prioritize content production velocity
- SEO optimization is strategic, not tactical
- Direct outreach is secondary to organic discovery
Critical Update #4: Validation Approach
Current state
- 0 paying customers
- 0 interviews conducted
- 0 API feedback received
Available validation flows
| Flow | Status |
|---|---|
| Live URLs | ✅ Ready |
| Lab UI | TBD |
| API Integration | ✅ Ready |
| MCP | ❌ Not built |
Approach catalog
8 approaches documented with reliability/cost/time analysis.
See: execution/21-validation-approaches.md
Next step
Oleg decides which approach(es) to pursue. Recommendation: Discord AI Tools for best balance of reliability and speed.
Master Update Checklist
High Priority (affects positioning)
- 01-market-positioning-v3.md — Remove MCP from unique advantages
- 01-market-positioning-v3.md — Update moat strategy section
- 13-competitive-analysis.md — Reframe competitor comparison
- 16-product-features.md — Rename "Prompt Enhancement" → "Template System"
Medium Priority (affects pricing/features)
- 10-pricing-strategy.md — Add Custom Templates to Pro tier
- INDEX.md — Add documents #20, #21
- ROADMAP.md — Update current phase description
Low Priority (can wait)
- Landing page messaging updates
- API documentation updates
- Marketing materials refresh
Document owner: @men
Last updated: January 9, 2026
Status: Reference for documentation updates