The mechanics behind The Claraty Method. 

If you’re the kind of person who wants to understand how the engine works, keep reading. If you’d rather skip the application, jump to the next post.

It may sound rigorous, and it can be, but the goal isn’t to apply every part in every situation. The goal is to understand the logic so you know where it makes sense to apply it, and how it translates into work your teams can actually use.

The method works for you, not the other way around.

What Claims Are (and What Makes Them Work)

A claim is any statement you make about your business that defines what you are, who you serve, or how you're different. 

• "We're faster."

• "We're built for enterprise."

• "We prioritize simplicity over customization."

Most companies treat these as descriptive but they are actually definitional.

They don't just describe what you do. They determine what you will and won't do. 

The Problem with Vague Claims

When claims are vague, they can’t create usable constraints:

• "We're customer-focused" → Every company says this. It’s meaningless.

• "We're innovative" → Compared to what? What can’t you do as a result?"

• We build enterprise-grade software" → Great. So what are you not building?

Even claims that sound specific can collapse under pressure:

• “This makes workflows faster.”

• “And gives users more control over every step.”

Both sound good. Both might even be true. But together, they introduce a tradeoff you may haven’t resolved:

• Faster or more control? Which wins when you have to choose?

NOW IMAGINE

• A prospect says: “We need to customize every field before launch.” Does the request align with your claim, or contradict it?

• A feature request comes in for advanced configuration. Does that support your value prop, or slow down the speed you're competing on?

If you haven’t worked through what happens when claims collide, the strategy isn't finished.

When the Work Is Done, Constraints Start Working for You

Good constraints do two things:

1. Work forward through time When the market shifts - new competitor, new feature request, new customer segment - your constraints tell you what to do.

2. Apply across functions Sales, Marketing, Product, each team makes different decisions, but from the same logic.

EXAMPLE

Claim:

"We’re faster than spreadsheets, but only for teams over 50 people."

This creates constraints:

• Don’t target solo founders or small teams, spreadsheets work fine for them

• Don’t compete on features or customization, your value prop is speed

• Focus on 50–500 person companies, where spreadsheet collaboration breaks down

These constraints help answer questions before they’re asked:

• Should we pitch to 20-person startups? No. They fall outside our target, contradicts the claim.

• Should we build advanced analytics features? No. That’s competing on features, not speed.

• Should we position as an “all-in-one platform”? No. That messaging implies comprehensiveness, not speed.

Here's how it applies across functions:

• Marketing Skip broad social ads. Run account-based campaigns targeting VP-level buyers at 50–500 person companies.

• Product Prioritize Excel/Sheets import to prove speed. Skip advanced analytics, it adds complexity.

• Sales A 20-person company is interested? Either rework the claim or walk away from the deal.

• Leadership Considering an acquisition? If it adds features that slow onboarding, pass. You're built for speed.

That’s how constraints power consistent decisions without requiring constant oversight.

Next Steps

You can apply this method:

• To your entire company positioning

• To a single product launch

• To a campaign

• To a specific vertical

The approach scales to the problem. Sometimes it’s a full diagnostic to surface every contradiction.Sometimes it’s one deck.

The Most Important Reminder

Decisions don’t close the gap. Execution does.

Someone still has to:

• Build the deck

• Write the brief

• Launch the campaign

Constraints ensure the outputs are coherent and that your teams can apply the same logic to the next decision without starting from scratch.

Not sure where to start, or just want to move faster? We can help.