"Built to Last" Positioning

Nice article by Bruce Schier today on Nimsoft's latest announcement around their Unified Monitoring strategy and products got me thinking about positioning that lasts.

We launched Unified at Nimsoft 9 months ago, and the message resonates as much now as it did then, and I see no slowing down. What I am wondering makes good positioning last long? Is there good positioning that doesn't have a long life, probably not... Here's a few things I know about positioning that's "built to last"...

1. Built to last positioning leads the customer to solutions to BOTH today's and tomorrow's challenges
2. Built to last positioning puts (positive) internal pressure on the product roadmap, because it accelerates aspects of the product that matter, which probably weren't the focus before the positioning was articulated
3. Built to last positioning is in synch with customer needs, market trends AND brand "permission". If anyone of these is weak, the stool falls down
4. Built to last positioning isn't accidental, it's well thought out and articulated, and takes hard work to get to
5. Built to last positioning becomes part of the DNA of the company, it changes not just messaging, but roadmap, selling strategies, support priorities and investments.
6. Built to last positioning is easy to see in hindsight, but really hard to figure out ahead of time (see #3)
7. The value of built to last positioning is expressed ultimately in increased sales and shareholder value

Nimsoft is a great case study in this, their Unified Monitoring strategy has paid off in product innovation, ramping sales, improved communications, and as is well known, in shareholder value.

What are your thoughts on how to forge built to last positioning???