THE AI POSITIONING REALITY CHECK
Five questions every CMO should ask before planning for 2027
You know how your company sees itself. Do you know how the market sees you?
AI is changing what buyers expect, what competitors claim, and what analysts scrutinize. This five-minute exercise helps distinguish what your organization knows from what it assumes about its market position.
HOW TO USE THIS REALITY CHECK
For each question, consider three responses: Confirmed by external evidence / Supported mainly by internal belief / Not yet clear. Note one piece of evidence and one action to take. This is not a scored test or a verdict on your strategy.
1. DIFFERENTIATION — Can others explain why we are different?
Could a buyer or analyst describe our distinctive value without repeating the same AI claims used by competitors?
Our evidence: ____________________________________________
What we need to validate: _________________________________
Next action: ______________________________________________
2. MARKET PERCEPTION — Do we know how the market categorizes us?
Have we heard directly how analysts and buyers describe our company, its category, and its closest alternatives?
Our evidence: ____________________________________________
What we need to validate: _________________________________
Next action: ______________________________________________
3. CREDIBILITY — Can our claims withstand scrutiny?
Can we support our AI narrative with customer outcomes, relevant economics, operational proof, and independent validation?
Our evidence: ____________________________________________
What we need to validate: _________________________________
Next action: ______________________________________________
4. FUTURE RELEVANCE — Will our differentiation matter in 2027?
As today's AI capabilities become standard, which business outcomes or advantages will remain distinctive?
Our evidence: ____________________________________________
What we need to validate: _________________________________
Next action: ______________________________________________
5. STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT — Are we telling one coherent market story?
Do leadership, product, sales, and marketing describe the same competitive position—and does that story match what customers experience?
Our evidence: ____________________________________________
What we need to validate: _________________________________
Next action: ______________________________________________
YOUR NEXT MOVE
Circle the question where external evidence is weakest. What one customer, analyst, or market signal could you examine in the next 30 days to test that assumption?
Priority question: _________________________________________
Evidence to gather: _______________________________________
Owner and date: ___________________________________________
Register for the Webinar: Beyond the AI Claim
Building a Market Position that Stands up to Scrutiny
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
12:00 PM Eastern | Live on Zoom
As AI reshapes technology markets, how do you build a differentiated position that customers, investors, and analysts understand and believe?
Join Forward’s senior experts to explore how strategic Analyst Relations helps companies test their assumptions, interpret market signals, and strengthen their positioning. Through a practical composite case study, see how analyst perspectives and experienced judgment turn market intelligence into clearer strategic decisions.
Find Out More About Forward Assessments
Let Forward Answer these questions for you.
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