In today’s episode, I explore why market category is a good starting point for developing great positioning.  You will learn:  * Viewing your market category is context-setting for your products/company.  * Thinking of your market category as being similar to the opening scene of a movie. (See link below for my article about this idea, which includes the opening scene of the movie Baby Driver.)  * Understanding your product/company's unique value proposition before determining market...

In today’s episode, I talk with a technology entrepreneur about lessons related to his product initially being mispositioned in the market and also the challenges of positioning both free and paid versions of software solutions.  Joining me is Abhinav Asthana, founder and CEO of Postman, an API platform for software developers to build and use APIs. In today’s episode:  * How Postman's positioning evolved from a product-focused approach to a platform-focused approach, with different...

Welcome to Season 2! In today’s episode, I explore why positioning fails to make the jump from marketing to sales in many companies, and what common misconceptions and mistakes in positioning work should be avoided. You will learn:  * Why sales teams often lack a deep understanding of positioning and its importance in the sales process. * Communicating value and positioning product consistently across all sales calls, even for new sales reps. * What happens when marketing creates positioning...

Today, I’m going to discuss how to have consistent positioning and messaging across sales and marketing using tactics from my book Sales Pitch. You will learn:  Why marketers at B2B companies should start with the sales pitch first An overview of buyer’s guides and the components of the best ones How to create an explainer video using the sales pitch structure Why all content should target the proper persona  Examples of graphics used to educate buyers  Other types of content that...

It's frustrating to see the widespread misuse of business terminology in the corporate world. Terms such as strategy, positioning, and vision are frequently interchanged or confused. Today, I'll clarify these terms, discussing when and how to use them. I’ll share with you: The difference between strategy, vision, and positioning  Pitching to investors vs. pitching to potential customers The importance of adapting positioning An explanation of Geoffrey Moore’s “bowling pin” strategy ...

Every business wants to cash in on the latest trend, and for good reason. Trends can be powerful tools to enhance your positioning. However, it's crucial to recognize that not all trends are a universal fit for every company. Blindly adopting trends without thoughtful messaging can lead to disastrous outcomes for your business. Today, I’m diving deep into the world of trends. You’ll learn the following: The difference between markets and trends How trends can be layered on top of your...

Today, I will talk about how to address your competition, which is commonly mismanaged. Once again, you’ll see it all comes back to positioning and differentiated value. I’ll share with you: Why it’s almost always a bad idea to name the competition when you’re the market leader Real-life examples of companies naming their competitors The benefit you gain from naming and positioning your competitors when you’re small How to combat lies and negativity from your competitors Thanks for...

I get asked a lot by people about today’s topic on how to manage a positioning change within an organization. It applies to big and small companies and even those going through acquisitions.  In today’s episode, I cover: The times when your positioning might change How to figure out the frequency of assessing your positioning  The complexities of changing your positioning after an acquisition How to test your new sales pitch after you change your positioning  And more I also want to...

Today, I’m joined by Bruno Aziza, who has an incredible background in data and technology and is a dear friend of mine. He has held previous positions at Google, Oracle, Microsoft, and AtScale. He’s currently a Partner at CapitalG, which is Alphabet's independent growth fund. In today’s episode, we cover: The importance of starting with first principles. This means defining your set of beliefs, particular identity, and your core center of design for your product.  Why you should be...

My next book, Sales Pitch, is finally out! I’ve been working on this project for quite some time now and am beyond excited to share it with you all!  If you’d like to support me and purchase the book, visit https://www.aprildunford.com/books to learn more. I’ve also included a free workbook on that page as well. Since my book came out this week, I figured today’s episode should be about why I wrote this book. I certainly didn’t start my career thinking I would end up helping so many...

Today, I go deep on how to approach aligning your marketing and sales teams. It’s a topic I repeatedly hear most companies struggling with, and I’m excited to discuss the following: The definition of what a good lead is  How to get marketing and sales to collaborate on a sales pitch The importance of incorporating a sales pitch testing protocol  Why you need structure to bring together marketing, sales, and product teams We’re getting so close to the launch of my next book, Sales...

Today, I explore how to position your sales pitch storytelling arch. You’ll learn: What people get wrong when starting their sales pitch How not to start a sales pitch Why you should start your sales pitch with an insight that is unique to your company  How to structure your sales pitch storytelling arch Don’t forget you can now pre-order my next book, Sales Pitch, on Amazon! If you’ve enjoyed the content I’ve been sharing, this is the most wonderful way for you to show your support....

Today, I share everything you need to know about how to use positioning in your sales qualification and discovery. I discuss:  The different forms of qualification and BANT criteria The difference between qualification and discovery Why discovery is so important for your first sales call How buyers and sellers find out more about each other during discovery My unique sales pitch structure Also, you can officially pre-order my next book, Sales Pitch, on Amazon! I’m incredibly proud...

Today’s episode is all about how to position startups and big companies. While there is some overlap, the two can be very different. I cover a lot of ground, including:  The three things startups need to focus on for positioning  Why half of B2B purchase decisions end in no decision  How not to mistake marketing problems as positioning problems Determining when a positioning shift is needed for a big company Why the size of a company can complicate positioning  The difference...

Today I’m joined by Bob Moesta, the co-creator of the Jobs To Be Done framework, a concept he developed alongside the late Clayton Christensen. Bob's expertise spans a wide range of accomplishments, including the successful launch of over 3,500 new products, services, and businesses. He's also the CEO and founder of the Re-Wired Group, as well as the brains behind several other startup ventures. We discuss:  Why context matters as much as the product Why people don’t buy products, they...

Today I dive deep into how to avoid bad marketing and sales and why sometimes this includes actively sharing who your product isn’t for. I go into greater detail about the following: Understanding that your product is only a part of your business How to craft great marketing and sales Why a formal positioning process impacts your sales and marketing strategy The core of sales and marketing is understanding your differentiated value How to build the story for your...

Today I cover how to know if you're getting good marketing and sales advice, and why it’s so important to carve your own path. I discuss: • What I learned from traditional marketing advice • Why traditional marketing advice falls short • The story of how a fax machine campaign became my best-performing initiative • Why you should not blindly follow popular marketing trends • The importance of figuring out what works for YOU — If you want to skip ahead: (00:00) Today’s topic: how to...

Today I explore developing a point of view for your business. I cover: How to build your company’s points of view What to do if you don’t know your point of view Two examples from IBM and Sampler Why features don’t matter, value does How to apply this to your sales and marketing — If you want to skip ahead: (00:00) How to develop a point of view for your business (03:07) How Sampler built a point of view for their market (06:20) What if you don’t know your point of view (09:00)...

Today I dive into what to do with your positioning once you’ve nailed it. I cover: • How to capture positioning • How positioning makes its way into messaging • Why you should create a messaging document and what ends up happening if you don’t • What the market needs in order to understand our differentiated value • How to go from positioning to branding • How to take boilerplate messaging and apply it globally — If you want to skip ahead: (00:00) How to put your new positioning to...

I sat down with Nick Francis, the Co-Founder and CEO of Help Scout. A few years ago I worked directly with Nick and his team to tighten up their positioning and brought him on to share their story. Together we discuss: • What the positioning of Help Scout looked like during the early days • How their positioning evolved over time • Why they utilized outside help • How he took the sales narrative he worked on with me and turned it into a pitch • How their strategy has changed as they’ve...

Today we continue our conversation on translating your positioning into a sales pitch. You’ll learn: • Popular pitch structures (discovery-led, problem-solution, venture-informed) and where they fall short • Common problems to avoid when crafting your sales pitch • Why the “new way” doesn’t necessarily beat the “old way” • How focusing on the future of your product can backfire • What conventional storytelling techniques can teach you about pitching • A tried and true storytelling...

In this episode, I talk about how to take your positioning and translate it into a powerful sales narrative. I cover the importance of testing your positioning and explain why it often fails to make the leap from marketing to sales. I analyze the software transaction process from the buyer's perspective and dive deep into the challenges buyers face when they encounter unfamiliar products. I also tell a personal story about buying a toilet, and share an encounter with a skillful toilet...

Today I’m joined by renowned author and guest, Matt Dixon. We explore the concepts from his groundbreaking book, "The JOLT Effect," and uncover the secrets to winning deals and captivating customers. Matt shares how extensive research debunked a myriad of popular sales techniques, including dialing up FOMO and letting the customer do the talking. We talk about how downplaying impact can actually boost your sales, no decision losses and why they happen, why you should avoid discounts and...

In this episode, I go deep on one of my favorite topics: value. First, I’ll define value vs. differentiated value, and explain why the latter is key to everything. We'll explore how to find the right balance between features and value, and I'll share tips on mastering your product walkthrough and proving your claims to customers. I also cover common mistakes to avoid when segmenting your audience, the job of a market category, and how a strong understanding of your differentiated value will...