Positioning with April Dunford (April Dunford)

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 without consulting sales, leading to disconnect between the two teams.

* The disconnect between sales teams and marketing teams, as marketing decks often don't account for the need for discovery and objection handling during sales calls.

* Two common unspoken objections in sales pitches: pricing and change management.

* Common challenges in transitioning positioning from marketing to sales, including inadequate decks. 

* In enterprise and B2B deals, multiple stakeholders involved in a deal can lead to multiple pitch decks, making the process more complicated.

* Customizing pitch decks for the champion, with a focus on resonating with their needs and concerns, rather than trying to address the objections of other stakeholders in the deal.

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

(0:01) Positioning in B2B marketing and sales. 

(4:25) Sales strategy and customer understanding. 

(8:55) Why marketing and sales positioning often doesn't align. 

(13:18) Sales pitches and unspoken objections. 

(18:00) B2B purchase process and positioning for sales. 

(23:24) Customizing sales pitch decks for different personas. 

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

—

The Positioning with April Dunford podcast: Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. Using April’s battle-tested methodology, she'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance.

Podcast website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PFHcWx 

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4aqyDqI 

Subscribe on YouTube:

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 inform successful messaging that resonates with your customers. Lastly, I'll give you a sneak peek of my upcoming book on sales pitches. 

—

In This Episode, I Cover:

(00:00) Welcome to the Positioning Show

(00:15) Defining value

(01:14) A story about Janna Systems and their biggest competitor, Siebel Systems

(04:19) How one sales rep changes everything

(07:35) How Janna Systems shifted their positioning and won over Siebel Systems

(08:34) Customers don’t care about your features

(10:28) Value vs. differentiated value and what really matters

(13:15) Value buckets

(14:06) Why value is hard to understand

(16:06) Helping customers translate value on their own

(18:21) Mastering your product walkthrough

(20:00) The importance of proving your value to customers  

(21:47) Finding your best-fit customer

(23:50) Common mistakes to avoid 

(25:11) Differentiated value and the job of a market category

(27:43) How differentiated value informs messaging

(29:30) A tease on sales pitches and my upcoming book

(30:00) Thanks for listening, and please leave a review!

—

Where To Find Me:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

• Janna Systems: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/janna-systems-inc

• Siebel Systems: https://www.oracle.com/cx/siebel/

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 mention my new book, Sales Pitch, is out! 

If you’d like to learn more or order a copy, you can go to https://www.aprildunford.com/books 

—

If You Want To Skip Ahead:

(00:00) I launched my book and today’s topic

(01:25) What happens when your positioning changes and specific examples

(07:40) The unplanned reasons for why your positioning might change and how to check it

(12:02) If you need to change your positioning, what you should do

(15:10) How to be careful testing your new sales pitch

(17:19) Why acquisitions require more work

(24:51) The funniest thing I learned from going through 6 acquisitions 

(26:45) A few updates from me

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

Today’s episode is absolutely loaded with information. I cover the challenge of positioning for a single-product company compared to a multi-product company and share two specific examples on the topic. I also discuss how to handle positioning for segments, what happens when you have multiple segments to target, and the importance of your positioning resonating with your target champion.

— In This Episode, I Cover:

(00:00) Positioning a single-product company vs a multi-product company

(02:37) An example from IBM’s positioning

(08:00) An example of Salesforce’s positioning

(11:22) How to handle positioning for segments

(15:59) What happens when you have multiple segments?

(19:02) How to position for various personas

(24:34) The most important thing to do when doing persona positioning

(26:18) Thanks for listening

—

Where To Find Me:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

In today’s episode, I explore gathering product market insights directly from customers and crafting effective product marketing strategies with Martina Lauchengco, a partner, teacher, author, speaker, mom, and native Californian.

You will learn:

* How a VP of Marketing required team members to talk to two customers every week.

* Observing customers in the field to deepen your knowledge about how they use your products.

* Conducting customer interviews to understand the bigger context.

* Win/loss analysis.

* Collaboration between marketing and sales teams.

* How companies can stay ahead of the curve by being responsive to customer needs.

* How the rapid pace of technological change and AI is transforming go-to-market strategies.

* Understanding how a product intersects with the market and identifying key activities to amplify its reach.

* Product marketing’s intersection with lead generation strategy.

* The crucial role that product marketers play in shaping go-to-market strategies.

* The limitations of positioning statements.

* Understanding the context and audience for messaging.

* The dynamic nature of messaging in the early stages of a company.

* Using storytelling frameworks in sales pitches.

* Investor positioning.

* Borrowing techniques from successful peers, even if they seem unconventional.

* How product marketing is misunderstood in many companies.

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(0:00) Customer insights for product marketing.

(4:16) Customer interviews.

(9:38) Understanding market changes.

(16:39) Product marketing and go-to-market strategies.

(20:19) Lead generation.

(26:15) Positioning for companies.

(29:57) Sales pitches.

(36:01) Testing new pitches.

(39:23) Product marketing function.

—

Connect with Martina Lauchengco on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinalauchengco/

Learn more about Martina: https://martinalauchengco.com/

Get Martina’s book, Loved: How to Rethink Marketing for Tech Products: https://amzn.to/3RIr5s2

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales:

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Mentioned in this episode:

* Gong call recording software: https://www.gong.io/

* The Jobs-to-be-done (JTBD) framework: https://strategyn.com/jobs-to-be-done/

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks:

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3xihSzC

—

The Positioning with April Dunford podcast: Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. Using April’s battle-tested methodology, she'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance.

Podcast website: https://www.positioning.show/

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PFHcWx

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4aqyDqI

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@positioningshow

—

This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.SuccessWithStories.com

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 moved upmarket

—

In This Episode, I Cover:

(00:00) About my guest, Nick Francis

(02:05) The origin story of Help Scout

(04:50) How Techstars informed their messaging early on

(06:00) How they differentiated themselves from other help desk companies

(08:28) Where early inbound customers came from

(09:58) Copycat competitors, and how Help Scout thinks about competition

(11:57) Identifying key differentiators

(13:20) Why they decided to bring in outside help (me) and what they learned

(15:29) The evolution of their sales pitch

(18:42) Why you should always test your sales pitch first

(20:27) Who was responsible for building the sales pitch

(21:24) Signals it was time to revisit the pitch

(24:58) The future of Help Scout

(26:27) How the product itself reinforces their positioning

(28:42) How their strategy has changed as they’ve moved upmarket

(30:17) Why positioning is so important

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Where To Find Nick Francis:

Website: http://nickfranc.is/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickfrancis1/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickfrancis?lang=en

—

Referenced:

• Help Scout: https://www.helpscout.com/

• Techstars: https://www.techstars.com/

• David Cohen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgcohen/

• Zendesk: https://www.zendesk.com/

• Intercom: https://www.intercom.com/

• Front: https://front.com/

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 differentiated value
• Why it’s a risky move to chase trends that aren't relevant to your business
• Real-world examples of companies incorporating trends, both successfully and poorly
• An overview of AI technology and how to address it in your business 

Thanks for listening! 

—

If You Want To Skip Ahead:

(00:27) Information about Sales Pitch and a reader’s review

(01:19) The difference between markets and trends

(04:34) How and when to layer trends on top of your differentiated value

(06:36) The three circle mental model of product, market, and trend 

(07:38) How Redgate Software took advantage of the DevOps trend

(09:50) Trends don’t always align with your product (and why you shouldn’t force them to)

(13:41) Long Island Blockchain: an example of a company latching onto an unrelated trend

(16:39) An overview of AI technology 

(18:28) The right way to address AI if it is relevant to your business and customers

(19:42) Announcements 

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

Pantone: https://www.pantone.com/

Redgate Software: https://www.red-gate.com/

Long Island Iced Tea Soars After Changing Its Name to Long Blockchain: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-21/crypto-craze-sees-long-island-iced-tea-rename-as-long-blockchain

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 businesses with their sales pitch, but here we are.

In today’s episode, you’ll learn:

• My exact sales pitch structure
• How I adjusted my structure after my time at IBM
• What it means to start with a market insight
• Why you never talk about features in the first sales call 
• And so much more

Thank you again for supporting this podcast, my two books, and the other content I put out.

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(00:00) Book launch week

(00:57) My background in positioning and creating the sales pitch

(07:25) IBM’s sales pitch structure

(13:30) How April changed her approach after IBM

(19:15) Why I got into sales pitches

(24:45) My sales pitch structure

(29:47) The book is here and how to get templates with the book 

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

Corporate Executive Board: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEB_Inc. 

The Challenger Sale: https://www.amazon.com/Challenger-Sale-Control-Customer-Conversation/dp/1591844355 

The JOLT Effect: https://www.amazon.com/JOLT-Effect-Performers-Overcome-Indecision/dp/0593538102 

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 can be structured around the sales pitch 

You'll also hear that this is the final episode of Season 1, as I'm excited to take a break from podcasting for the rest of the year. Thanks for listening and supporting the podcast, and I look forward to recording more content next year!

—

If You Want To Skip Ahead:

(00:21) An overview of my consulting work and season 1 finale

(01:11) Why marketing should center their storytelling on what works for sales

(05:30) How and why to use a buyer’s guide with customers 

(09:13) How to incorporate the Sales Pitch structure into explainer videos 

(10:20) Other places pieces of the sales narrative may work well

(11:07) The significance of different personas  

(12:10) Leveraging the sales narrative set up phase for conference talks

(13:30) How graphics can enhance understanding of differentiated value 

(14:09) The graphics Postman created to illustrate its features and capabilities 

(16:20) Gitlab’s infinity graphic

(17:16) Salesforce’s confusing infographic 

(19:30) Other ways to use my Sales Pitch structure

(21:13) Closing thoughts

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: ⁠https://www.positioning.show/⁠ 

Personal Website: ⁠https://www.aprildunford.com/⁠ 

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/⁠ 

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/⁠ 

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/aprildunford⁠

—

Referenced:

Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Pitch-Craft-Story-Stand/dp/1999023021⁠

Postman: ⁠https://www.postman.com/⁠

What is Postman: ⁠https://www.postman.com/product/what-is-postman/⁠

The API platform landscape: ⁠https://blog.postman.com/2022-api-platform-landscape-trends-and-challenges/⁠

Gitlab Infinity: ⁠https://gitlab.com/infinity7x⁠

Salesforce Customer 360: ⁠https://www.salesforce.com/ap/blog/what-is-salesforce-customer-360/⁠

Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Obviously-Awesome-Product-Positioning-Customers/dp/1999023005⁠

—

Production and marketing by ⁠https://penname.co/

In today’s episode, I speak with product marketing expert and consultant Tamara Grominsky, who is the former Vice President of Product Marketing at Kajabi and Unbounce. 

Have you ever asked questions such as: “How do I hire a good product marketer? What skills should they have? And how should we measure product marketing?” In this episode, Tamara and I answer those questions and more.

You will learn: 

* The key responsibilities of a good product marketer.

* Why product marketers should know the product better than product managers.

* The differences between sales-led and product-led go-to-market strategies, plus the importance of mapping the buying journey and equipping the sales team with the right messages.

* The need for founders to be realistic about the skills and experience required for a startup product marketer.

* Why product launches don't need to be big or expensive to succeed, but they do need to be intentional about who the launch is for.

* Lessons from how Michelin Guide was launched to encourage more driving, with star ratings for destinations.

* The benefits of analyzing existing customers to identify best fit for product and value proposition.

* Why you should avoid creating marketing personas that are too fictional and instead create segment profiles that are based on quantitative data.

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

(3:27) Product marketing role and responsibilities. 

(6:47) Product marketing challenges and hiring tips. 

(12:24) Product launch strategies. 

(16:08) Identifying target audience for product launches. 

(20:13) Segmentation in marketing. 

(25:10) Identifying customer segments. 

(29:01) Product marketing personas. 

—

Connect with Tamara Grominsky on LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaragrominsky/ 

Subscribe to “PMM Camp,” Tamara’s newsletter for product marketing leaders: https://newsletter.pmmcamp.com/subscribe 

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Mentioned in this episode: 

* PMM Camp, Tamara’s community for product marketing leaders: https://www.pmmcamp.com/ 

* The Leap, a platform by Thinkific that creators can use to create and sell digital products: https://www.theleap.co/ 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada:

In today’s episode, I dive into the art of transforming competitor strengths into weaknesses, a practice which I sometimes call “marketing jiu-jitsu.” 

You will learn: 

* How competitor strengths can double as weaknesses in different markets.

* Opportunities for challenger brands to carve out niche markets.

* The differences between platform and tool positioning and their respective advantages.

* Competing with legacy brands.

* Competing against free or low-cost products.

* Appealing to end users versus decision-makers.

* Using manager-level value propositions to win deals against free tools.

* Focusing on high-value market segments to avoid a race to the bottom.

* Examples of successful positioning from companies like Salesforce, IBM, and Snowflake.

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

(00:37) Marketing Jiu-Jitsu

(01:51) Empowering End Users vs. IT

(05:01) Market Leadership vs. Challenger Strategies

(09:54) Niche Market Strategies and CRM Examples

(13:26) Platform vs. Tool

(21:05) Competing Against Free and Low-Cost Products

(26:43) Focusing on High-Value Segments

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

—

The Positioning with April Dunford podcast: Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. Using April’s battle-tested methodology, she'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance.

Podcast website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PFHcWx 

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4aqyDqI 

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@positioningshow 

—

This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.SuccessWithStories.com 

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) Why features don’t matter

(10:11) How IBM handled its own point of view

(15:15) How to apply point of view in sales and marketing

(17:38) Thanks for listening

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

Sampler https://www.sampler.io/ 

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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
• Examples of implementing the “bowling pin” strategy earlier in my career
• Why you don’t need a story for your strategy
• The importance of having a shared vocabulary within your organization

Thanks for listening! 

If You Want To Skip Ahead:

(00:17) How the book tour is going

(01:02) A brief overview of vision, strategy, and positioning 

(04:02) The difference between pitching to investors and potential customers 

(06:30) How positioning evolves as your strategy progresses

(07:18) How to use the “bowling pin” strategy 

(08:21) “Bowling pin” strategy examples from Janna Systems and Tulip Retail

(13:51) Common pitfalls people make in discussing strategy

(17:24) The importance of clarifying terminology with your team members

(18:55) Closing thoughts

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Strategy-Bad-Difference-Matters/dp/0307886239

Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers: https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Chasm-3rd-Disruptive-Mainstream/dp/0062292986

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 limited-time offers, and specific tactics to improve your first-call deck. Join us as we challenge conventional sales wisdom and offer fresh perspectives that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about successful sales strategies.

—

In This Episode, I Cover:

(00:00) Welcome to the Positioning Show

(00:15) About our guest Matt Dixon and his new book, The JOLT Effect

(03:01) Behind the research for Matt’s book

(8:00) Lessons on customer indecision

(09:48) How dialing up FOMO increases the odds of losing the deal

(12:27) Two reasons why no decision losses happen

(15:58) The JOLT effect

(19:46) Why your sales reps should offer specific recommendations

(24:03) Why you should actually undersell the impact of your product

(27:18) Debunking the myth that customers should do most of the talking

(31:00) Discounts and limited-time offers

(33:51) First-call deck recommendations

(37:35) Matt’s company, DCM Insights, and how to get in touch

—

Where to Find Matt Dixon:

Website: https://www.dixonspeaks.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewxdixon/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthewxdixon

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewxdixon/

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

• The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results: https://www.amazon.com/Challenger-Customer-Selling-Influencer-Multiply/dp/1591848156

• The JOLT Effect: How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593538102

• Tethr: https://tethr.com/

• The Dreamforce Conference: https://www.salesforce.com/dreamforce/

• DCM Insights: https://www.dcminsights.com/

• The JOLT Effect website: https://www.jolteffect.com/

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

Today I’m joined by Hana Abaza, an experienced SaaS Marketer. Most recently, Hana served as Shopify’s Global Head of Revenue Marketing where she helped them reach billions of dollars in revenue. In today’s episode, we discuss how Shopify successfully moved upmarket as they introduced Shopify Plus. We explore the competitive alternatives they faced, how they differentiated their offerings, and the importance of their partner influence program. Together we cover storytelling (and what most people get wrong), differentiated value,and the importance of understanding your customer’s point of view. 

—

In This Episode, I Cover:

(00:00) Welcome to the Positioning Show

(00:40) About our guest Hana Abaza, and what to expect in this episode

(02:34) Shopify’s growth trajectory and why they decided to go upmarket

(05:04) The first time April heard Shopify pitch Shopify Plus

(08:17) Shopify’s competitive alternatives  

(10:22) How they launched Shopify Plus and differentiated it from Shopify 

(12:53) The positioning timeline

(14:32) How they shifted Shopify’s positioning and the customer perspective

(16:09) Utilizing their partner influence program

(18:43) The importance of customer word of mouth

(19:43) How and when the sales team was enabled 

(23:30) Shopify’s corporate narrative and the value props for different segments 

(27:25) Why most rebrands are a waste of time

(29:25) Storytelling, and what most people get wrong

(34:00) How April approaches differentiated value and competitive alternatives 

(37:00) Understanding the customer's POV

(40:49) What’s next for Hana

(43:03) Thanks for listening

—

Where To Find Hana Abaza:

Website: https://hanaabaza.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanaabaza/?originalSubdomain=ca

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hanaabaza

Where To Find April:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

• Shopify Plus: https://www.shopify.com/plus

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

Today’s episode is a repost of one of my favorite topics: why value is important for positioning for B2B technology companies. 

In this episode, first I define value vs. differentiated value, and explain why the latter is key to everything. Next I explore how to find the right balance between features and value, and I 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 inform successful messaging that resonates with your customers. 

Lastly, near the end of the episode, I discuss my book, “Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win,” which you can get from Amazon https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY and wherever good books are sold—see more links below. (When I originally published this episode, my book wasn’t out yet. But it’s been out for 10 months now and has received hundreds of 5-star reviews.) 

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

(00:15) Defining value.

(01:14) A story about Janna Systems and their biggest competitor, Siebel Systems.

(04:19) How one sales rep changes everything.

(07:35) How Janna Systems shifted their positioning and won over Siebel Systems.

(08:34) Customers don’t care about your features.

(10:28) Value vs. differentiated value and what really matters.

(13:15) Value buckets.

(14:06) Why value is difficult to understand.

(16:06) Helping customers translate value on their own.

(18:21) Mastering your product walkthrough.

(20:00) The importance of proving your value to customers.  

(21:47) Finding your best-fit customer.

(23:50) Common mistakes to avoid. 

(25:11) Differentiated value and the job of a market category.

(27:43) How differentiated value informs messaging.

(29:30) My book about sales pitches. 

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3xihSzC

—

The Positioning with April Dunford podcast: Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. Using April’s battle-tested methodology, she'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance.

Podcast website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Subscribe on Apple...

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 category.

* Why positioning involves identifying what sets your product apart from competitors and the status quo.

* Why positioning in an underserved segment of an existing market category is easier than creating a new category.

* Communicating the differentiated value of your product or service.

* Why companies need to go deeping into their value props to help customers understand how they can deliver unique value for their business.

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

(3:50) Market categories and their role in positioning products/companies, with a focus on differentiated value. 

(7:46) Positioning and messaging for startups, focusing on understanding customer needs and differentiated value. 

(11:26) Positioning and market categories in business.

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/consultant

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Mentioned in this episode: 

* My article about market category in which I discuss the opening scene of the movie Baby Driver: https://aprildunford.substack.com/p/understanding-the-job-of-a-market  

* Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, a book by Al Ries and Jack Trout: https://amzn.to/3JrR4zJ  

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

—

The Positioning with April Dunford podcast: Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. Using April’s battle-tested methodology, she'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance.

Podcast website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:

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 between company, division, and product positioning 
• How to handle positioning when an acquisition occurs

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(00:00) Welcome to today’s show! 

(01:32) How to position for startups

(05:43) Startups must try this

(07:55) Investor pitch creep

(10:00) Marketing vs positioning problems

(13:25) Category creation for startups

(15:00) How to position for big companies

(19:20) Umbrella, division, and product positioning 

(23:20) Positioning after an acquisition 

(25:10) What isn’t different between the two

(26:50) A big announcement

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

In today’s episode, I explore the frustrating yet common issue of competitors making false or exaggerated claims about their products. 

In this episode, I answer the question: When you want to discuss your differentiated product or service, what do you do if you’ve got a competitor who lies that they too have the same product or service, when in fact they don’t? 

You will learn: 

* The misconception that competitors can easily replicate differentiated features.

* How architectural and resource constraints make copying features harder than it seems.

* Competitors often stretch the truth or outright lie about capabilities.

* Focusing on the value delivered by features rather than just the features themselves.

* Using proof points, data, and examples to expose dishonest competitors.

* Real-world examples of combating competitors who misrepresent themselves.

* The reputational risks for companies that stretch the truth.

* Turning dishonest competition into an opportunity to gain trust and loyalty

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

(00:00) Welcome to Season Three!

(04:12) The Myth of Easy Feature Copying

(09:30) Why Competitors Appear to Copy You

(13:55) Handling Competitor Lies

(16:40) Focus on Value, Not Just Features

(19:20) Educate Buyers to Expose Competitor Lies

(22:10) Prove Your Claims with Data

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

—

The Positioning with April Dunford podcast: Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. Using April’s battle-tested methodology, she'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance.

Podcast website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PFHcWx 

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4aqyDqI 

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@positioningshow 

—

This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing:

In today’s episode, Georgiana Laudi and I explore the failings of traditional sales funnels and why companies should instead focus on a customer-led approach to growth.

My guest, Georgiana Laudi, is the ultimate marketing guru with a passion for turning customer value into cash for SaaS companies. She helps SaaS leaders grow smarter through her consultancy, Forget the Funnel. 

You will learn: 

* Why traditional funnels are lazy and ineffective for understanding customers.

* The concept of customer-led growth and how it differs from funnel-based approaches.

* The importance of mapping critical moments of value in the customer journey.

* The pitfalls of ignoring pre- and post-funnel customer experiences.

* How to align teams around a profound understanding of customer needs.

* The role of KPIs in tracking customer success, not just business success.

* Why optimizing customer onboarding can lead to dramatic improvements in growth.

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

02:30 - Why Funnels Don’t Work

06:45 - Introducing Customer-Led Growth

12:30 - Mapping Customer Journeys

17:15 - Jobs to Be Done: A Game Changer

23:10 - The Importance of Onboarding

28:00 - Measuring Success: KPIs That Matter

35:30 - How to Focus on the Right Customers

—

Learn more about Georgiana Laudi and her Forget the Funnel team: https://forgetthefunnel.com/ 

Connect with Georgiana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgianalaudi/ 

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

April’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@positioningshow

—

Mentioned in this episode: 

* Georgiana Laudi and Claire Suellentrop’s book, Forget the Funnel: A Customer-Led Approach for Driving Predictable, Recurring Revenue: https://amzn.to/3QOTP2z 

* The Jobs-to-Be-Done methodology. 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3xihSzC

Google Play:

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 listening!

—

If You Want To Skip Ahead:

(00:21) How my book launch went

(01:47) Addressing competition by putting them into buckets

(03:43) Why market leaders should never mention the competition

(05:03) Slack’s letter to Microsoft that named them as a competitor

(09:16) DocuSign's ad mentioning Dropbox

(10:36) Why you might build a custom landing page based on a search query

(11:24) The benefit of naming the competition if you’re small

(13:08) Positioning your competitors

(16:57) Combating negative positioning from competitors

(21:41) Closing thoughts

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win: https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Pitch-Craft-Story-Stand/dp/1999023021

Slack’s “Dear, Microsoft” letter: https://slack.com/blog/news/dear-microsoft

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 positioning 

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(00:00) Today’s topic: how to avoid terrible marketing and sales

(01:55) Why thinking the product is the only thing is dangerous

(03:35) Ask yourself this question

(07:24) How to craft great marketing and sales

(10:37) Understand your differentiated value

(11:05) How to craft the story for your sales team

(17:05) Thanks for listening 

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

Everybody Hates Marketers: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everyone-hates-marketers/id1221256195 

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

In today’s episode, Brent Adamson and I explore what works and what doesn't work on sales teams, and Brent’s ideas for how we should arm sales teams to go out and win in the market. 

My guest today is Brent Adamson, a researcher, author, presenter, and thinker with a passion for “productive disruption.”

You will learn: 

* The origins of the Challenger Sale concept and how the term "challenger" refers to salespeople who teach customers about their industries and challenge their assumptions, rather than simply telling them what to do.

* Challenging customers to think differently.

* Customer context has changed radically in the last 10 years, making large-scale decisions more complex.

* Why some customers are overwhelmed by internal complexity, information, inability to align on goals, marketing, conflicting messages, etc. 

* Why many marketers misunderstand the customer journey. 

* The supplier selection is a critical problem to solve, but often occurs after the sales side has already been solved for.

* Helping customers feel more confident in their decision-making abilities, rather than simply presenting them with new information.

* How the Challenger Sales approach involves both frame breaking and frame making, with the goal of helping customers navigate their own internal complexity and alignment with colleagues.

* Understanding the buyer's journey. 

* Using value to demonstrate customer confidence, not the other way around.

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

(3:22) Sales research findings, including the Challenger Sale study. 

(6:12) Sales profiling, with a focus on the Challenger Sale approach. 

(11:31) Challenging customers to think differently. 

(14:27) Sales strategies. 

(18:05) How buying decisions have become more complex and involve more stakeholders, creating challenges for sellers. 

(23:04) Marketing strategies. 

(28:10) Navigating complex decision-making in business. 

(38:17) Customer confidence and alignment in B2B sales. 

—

Connect with Brent Adamson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentadamson/ 

Get Brent’s books from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3wlHOu4 

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Mentioned in this episode: 

* Brent Adamson and Matthew Dixon’s book, The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation: https://amzn.to/3UsTcfG 

* Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner, and Nick Toman’s book, The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results: https://amzn.to/3Ut41y2 

* “Sensemaking for Sales,” Brent Adamson’s article in The Harvard Business Review:

Welcome to The Positioning Show with me, your host, April Dunford. I am the best-selling author of Obviously Awesome and a seasoned marketing professional who has worked with over 100 companies to help nail their positioning. This show is the ultimate guide to understanding and implementing effective positioning strategies. Whether you're an entrepreneur seeking to make your product stand out in a crowded market, a marketer grappling with the challenges of communicating value, or a product manager striving to master the art of positioning, this is the place to be. Click that subscribe or follow button now, or head over to www.positioning.show to stay up to date with all the latest episodes.

—

Where To Find April Dunford

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

—  

Production and marketing by ⁠https://penname.co/

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 structure that works for sales pitches

—

In This Episode, I Cover:

(00:00) Sales pitches and product walkthroughs

(05:35) The discovery-led sales pitch

(08:35) The problem-solution sales pitch

(10:26) The venture-informed sales pitch

(13:22) Old way vs new way

(16:33) No decision losses

(17:43) Takeaways from the standard pitch structures we’ve covered

(18:29) Conventional storytelling: where it does and does not work

(22:23) The IBM sales pitch structure (the challenger sales methodology)

(25:23) How to start your pitch and the vital components to include

(28:50) My upcoming book

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

• Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen: https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329/

• Star Wars: https://www.starwars.com/

• Matt Dixon on The Positioning Show: https://www.positioning.show/overcoming-customer-indecision-and-challenging-conventional-sales-wisdom-with-matt-dixon/

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

In today’s episode, I explore the different types of competitors you face and how you can position yourself against each of them.

You will learn:

* How different departments or groups in a company (e.g. sales, product development, etc.) view and define competitors differently.

* The 3 types of competitors: (1) status quo competitors, (2) direct competitors, and (3) “do nothing” competitors.

* Positioning yourself against status quo competitors requires nailing your value versus the status quo, and understanding a customer’s pain of changing from the status quo over to you.

* Positing yourself against direct competitors entails leaning into your differentiated value, as compared to your competition.

* Positioning yourself against “do nothing” competitors involves understanding why customers evaluated you and your competitors, yet became indecisive and didn’t pick any solution/product/service.

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(4:36) Positioning against competitors in B2B sales.

(9:59) Winning strategies for B2B sales, including disqualifying unqualified leads and addressing indecision in purchasing decisions.

(14:45) Handling objections, increasing confidence in purchase decisions, and educating customers on trade-offs.

(19:56) Ways to reduce customer indecision in sales deals.

(24:53) Sales strategies for tech companies, focusing on positioning, best-fit customers, and risk mitigation.

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales:

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Mentioned in this episode:

* April Dunford’s article/newsletter about this topic: https://aprildunford.substack.com/p/a-buyer-centric-approach-to-competitive

* To get the free templates related to April Dunford’s two books, go to https://www.aprildunford.com/books and sign up for the newsletter; then you’ll receive an email to download the free templates.

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks:

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

—

The Positioning with April Dunford podcast: Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. Using April’s battle-tested methodology, she'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance.

Podcast website: https://www.positioning.show/

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PFHcWx

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4aqyDqI

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@positioningshow

—

This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.SuccessWithStories.com

In today’s episode, I explore product differentiation and the common misconception that some products have no unique value. I also explore the potential root causes when companies fail to see their own differentiation. 

You will learn: 

* The myth of having no product differentiation and what it means for B2B technology companies.

* The importance of understanding competitive alternatives and translating capabilities into customer value.

* Why a lack of differentiation leads to poor sales and business growth issues.

* How irrational buyer decisions are influenced by the need to avoid risks.

* The concept of "value blindness" and its impact on the marketing team.

* The dangers of focusing solely on losses while ignoring the importance of analyzing wins.

* How "product pessimism" can spread within teams and damage overall morale.

* The significance of cross-functional collaboration in aligning a company's positioning strategy.

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

02:30 - Question of Differentiation in B2B Products 

04:29 - The Stakes of Differentiation in Buyer Decisions 

06:39 - Recognizing Value in a Product 

09:25 - Addressing Misconceptions About Differentiation 

12:50 - Understanding True Competitive Alternatives 

17:44 - The Importance of Analyzing Wins 

22:47 - The Role of Segmentation in Positioning

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

—

The Positioning with April Dunford podcast: Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. Using April’s battle-tested methodology, she'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance.

Podcast website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PFHcWx 

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4aqyDqI 

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@positioningshow 

—

This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing:

In today’s episode, I discuss how sales and marketing interact with Loren Padelford, a sales, marketing, cashflow, and revenue expert.

You will learn:

* The limitations of the predictable revenue playbook and alternative approaches.

* How Salesforce pioneered cloud-based software and introduced a new way of thinking about how software gets delivered and sold.

* How the rise of ad networks and digital ads made it easier to reach many potential customers faster.

* Why the traditional sales process and long sales cycles are frustrating and failing.

* That startups founders should design their own sales system based on their product and customer needs.

* Shopify’s approach to hiring sales reps involved looking for personality traits like curiosity, intelligence, work ethic, and success.

* That research shows no correlation between education and success in sales.

* The limitations of Product-Led Growth (PLG) approach.

* The role of sales reps as tour guides of e-commerce platforms.

* The need for marketing, sales, and product to work together in the software industry.

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(0:01) The predictable revenue sales model and alternative models.

(4:49) Sales and marketing strategies in the software industry.

(10:52) The limitations of the predictable revenue model in software sales.

(15:44) Sales strategies and personality traits for success in sales.

(23:01) Sales strategies for Shopify businesses.

(27:35) The role of sales reps in e-commerce, with a focus on Shopify's experience.

(33:05) Sales and marketing collaboration.

(36:51) Sales and marketing alignment.

—

Connect with Loren Padelford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorenpadelford/

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales:

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Mentioned in this episode:

* Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business Into a Sales Machine with the $100 Million Best Practices of Salesforce.com, a 2011 book by Aaron Ross: https://amzn.to/4bXcBMP

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks:

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3xihSzC

—

The Positioning with April Dunford podcast: Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. Using April’s battle-tested methodology, she'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance.

Podcast website: https://www.positioning.show/

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PFHcWx

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4aqyDqI

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@positioningshow

—

This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.SuccessWithStories.com

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 use

(01:00) A quick recap of building and testing your positioning

(02:48) The messaging document

(05:00) Messaging drift

(06:13) The contents of the messaging document

(07:24) Who should own the messaging document

(08:03) How changes should be approached

(12:38) Helping customers understand your POV

(15:08) LevelJump’s calculator example

(17:27) Postman example

(19:50) How to go from positioning to branding

(24:10) How to take boilerplate messaging and apply it globally

(27:34) Proof of value and the importance of local proof

(28:46) An example where core positioning varied regionally

(30:11) Thanks for listening

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

• LevelJump: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/leveljump

• Postman: https://www.postman.com/

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

In today’s episode, my guest and I explore the intricate relationship between positioning, messaging, and copywriting for B2B tech companies. I’m joined by Emma Stratton, the founder of a consulting firm that helps-growing B2B tech companies win on positioning and messaging. 

You will learn: 

* How B2B and B2C are different and each comes with their own unique challenges and opportunities.

* How to differentiate between positioning, messaging, and copywriting.

* The value of flexible messaging across different channels. 

* The importance of being concise in marketing messaging, particularly in the tech industry.

* How punchy language is easier for consumers to absorb and remember, making it more effective in conveying complex ideas.

* Why marketing professionals should avoid jargon and overused words like "leverage," "utilize," "transform," "accelerate," and "game changer."

* Why some people struggle with narrowing down on a specific customer persona.

* How taglines and headlines need to speak to customer perspectives.

* Formulas and tricks to make your headlines more interesting and attention-grabbing. 

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

0:01 Positioning and messaging in B2B. 

8:32 Marketing terminology. 

13:04 Using simple language in marketing and avoiding jargon. 

17:20 Tech language clarity and messaging for specific customer types. 

22:18 Messaging for technical products. 

30:27 Emma’s book about messaging and marketing. 

35:29 Messaging strategy. 

—

Connect with Emma Stratton. 

Emma’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-stratton-punchy/ 

Punchy: https://punchy.co/ 

Learn about Emma’s book, Make it Punchy: How to Write Simple Tech Messaging That Wins Hearts, Minds, and Markets, which will be published in September 2024: https://punchy.co/book/

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Mentioned in this episode: 

* Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, a book by Chip Heath and Dan Heath: https://amzn.to/4cNPDsx 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK:

In today’s episode, I dive into the art of framing a sales conversation. I explore three common ways salespeople start their pitches and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each. By the end, I share my preferred approach to leading with a unique insight, helping you differentiate your sales pitch from the competition.

You will learn: 

* Three common ways to open a sales pitch: defining the problem, presenting market changes, and starting with discovery.

* Pros and cons of starting with the problem statement in a sales conversation.

* Why focusing on market changes might not be as effective as it seems in sales.

* The challenges of relying solely on discovery at the beginning of a sales call.

* How starting with your company’s specific value can shape the conversation.

* Differences in framing strategies for enterprise vs. small businesses.

* The importance of positioning yourself as an expert rather than following generic sales approaches.

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

02:30 - Defining the Problem in Sales Conversations

06:15 - Presenting Market Changes to Frame Your Pitch

10:00 - Starting with Discovery in Sales Pitches

14:20 - Why Problem Framing Can Fall Short

22:10 - Benefits of Leading with a Unique Insight

27:00 - Using Your Value to Frame Discovery

30:00 - Practical Tips for Structuring Your Sales Pitch

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

April’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@positioningshow

—

Mentioned in this episode: 

* April’s most recent book, “Sales Pitch” (see links below). 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3vosDzQ

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3xihSzC

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=%22April%20Dunford%22&c=books 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.bn.com/s/%22April%20Dunford%22 

Bookshop:

Join me for our first episode, where I share how a simple shift in positioning saved a product from failure, igniting my passion for positioning. I’ll explore Clayton Christensen's Jobs To Be Done Framework and how it revolutionized my approach. I'll walk you through my 5-step methodology and outline exactly how I got here. I'll also reveal why the methodology alone isn't enough to nail your positioning and what you can expect more of on this podcast.

—

In This Episode, I Cover:

(00:00) Welcome early adopters!

(00:50) A story about the first product I ever worked on, Watcom SQL

(09:11) How a shift in positioning saved Watcom’s product

(09:57) What I learned as VP of Marketing

(12:02) The positioning statement

(14:18) How I approached positioning as a multi-year engineering problem

(14:42) The 5 pieces of positioning

(15:31) How to solve for the best answer

(17:19) How I got started (and why you shouldn’t approach positioning this way)

(19:11) Clayton Christensen’s Jobs-To-Be-Done Framework

(20:03) The famous milkshake story and what it taught me

(22:26) The steps to nail your product positioning

(24:09) Why this methodology won’t take you all the way there

(25:39) Feedback and thanks

—

Where To Find Me:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

—

Referenced:

Crossing the Chasm: https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Chasm-3rd-Disruptive-Mainstream/dp/0062292986

Competing Against Luck: https://www.amazon.com/Competing-Against-Luck-Innovation-Customer/dp/0062435612

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 know if you’re getting good marketing and sales advice

(02:42) What I learned from traditional marketing education

(06:46) Specific examples of how traditional marketing education falls short

(13:52) Why you should be wary of blanket statements

(15:47) The story of how a fax machine campaign became our best-performing initiative

(26:14) How to decipher good vs bad marketing advice

(32:34) Why I’m always careful in the advice I give

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

• Chrysler: https://www.chrysler.com/

• Volvo: https://www.volvocars.com/us

• Pepsi: https://www.pepsi.com/

• Liquid Death: https://liquiddeath.com/

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

In today’s episode, you’ll learn why understanding your competition is critical for positioning and how many people get it wrong. I share a story about the deceptive nature of data and why you need to carefully evaluate bad-fit customers. I talk about how to discover your true competitors and recount a story of a failed sales pitch that taught me the importance of clearly understanding your value from the customer’s point of view. I also dive into the story of Segway, why they failed initially, and why avoiding market categorization is a huge mistake.

—

In This Episode, I Cover:

(00:00) Defining positioning

(00:53) A story about how data can lie to us

(05:25) Lessons on “bad fit customers”

(06:52) How to think about competition

(09:26) How to discover who your real competitors are

(11:50) The question all customers ask

(13:24) The benefits of great positioning

(13:49) A failed sales pitch, and what it taught me about the importance of understanding your product’s value

(20:45) Why avoiding categorization is a massive mistake

(21:49) A story about Segway and why you need to position your product in a market category

(25:37) Thanks for listening

—

Where To Find Me:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 salesman who taught me invaluable lessons about guiding customers.

—

In This Episode, I Cover:

(00:00) Welcome to the Positioning Show

(00:15) Today’s topic: How to take your positioning and translate it into a sales narrative

(00:50) The right way to test your positioning

(03:00) Why I didn’t cover sales pitches in my book, Obviously Awesome

(05:09) Why positioning often fails the jump from marketing to sales

(06:26) Why product walkthroughs fall short

(07:18) How to build a great sales pitch

(08:20) Buying is hard

(09:30) A story about the time I had to buy a toilet

(13:34) Takeaways from my toilet search, and how it relates to buyers

(14:21) How a typical software transaction goes

(16:14) The product walkthrough from the buyer's perspective

(17:12) What happens when the buyer gets overwhelmed

(18:49) How a toilet salesman sold me on a toilet

(22:54) What we’ve been taught in sales, and whether or not you should follow that advice

(24:39) If you want to do a fantastic job of selling, you need to become a guide

(25:49) What our positioning describes

(26:10) What to expect in my next episode

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

• Obviously Awesome: https://www.aprildunford.com/books

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 positioning for end-users and executives.

* Building Postman with the conviction that modern software is built on APIs, and evangelizing (positioning) this idea to investors.

* Why top-down positioning needs to align with company strategy. 

* The value of working with analysts to understand customer needs and improve products.

* Positioning software in terms of satisfying customer needs.

* The importance of staying ahead of competitors in the enterprise software market.

* The challenges of competing with free products and prioritizing user experience.

* Abhinav advises talking to 50-100 customers per year to gain insights and build conviction in product decisions.

—

If you want to skip ahead: 

(2:24) Origin story of Postman. 

(7:19) Postman's growth, fundraising, and positioning challenges. 

(12:57) API platform growth and top-down sales strategies. 

(18:03) Taking an API-first approach in software development and marketing strategies. 

(28:19) Scaling velocity, competitors, and customer engagement in the enterprise software space. 

—

Connect with Abhinav Asthana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavasthana/ 

Learn about Postman’s API platform: https://www.postman.com/ 

—

Connect with April Dunford and learn about practical positioning that accelerates marketing and sales: 

Work with April: https://www.aprildunford.com/contact 

April’s newsletter: https://aprildunford.substack.com/ 

April’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

April’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/aprildunford 

—

Mentioned in this episode: 

“Breaking Changes,” a podcast where Postman Chief Evangelist Kin Lane and guests talk about the API universe: https://www.postman.com/events/breaking-changes/

“The API-First Transformation,” a book by Kin Lane with a foreword by Abhinav Asthana: https://amzn.to/3PZzEOy 

—

Get April Dunford’s books and audiobooks: 

“Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It.”

“Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win.”

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY 

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/4ac9hgt 

Amazon UK:

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 of this book and can’t wait to share it with you. 

Here are the links for pre-order:

Amazon Canada

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(00:00) Intro and today’s topic

(01:40) Sales and qualifying leads 

(06:07) The importance of quality

(07:10) What is qualification

(08:50) BANT criteria 

(11:38) A breakdown of discovery

(13:20) My sales pitch structure

(16:52) LevelJump example

(21:18) Thanks for listening

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: ⁠https://www.positioning.show/⁠ 

Personal Website: ⁠https://www.aprildunford.com/⁠ 

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/⁠ 

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/⁠ 

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/aprildunford⁠

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@positioningshow

—

Production and marketing by⁠ https://penname.co/⁠

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 hire them. And how you can then design better products once you understand this 
• The famous milkshake story and how it led to a whole new category of yogurt smoothies 
• The importance of looking for the causes someone buys something, rather than convincing them to buy something
• Why you need to be problem-aware
• The distinction that positioning should be about guiding and helping customers to buy, rather than selling

I’m beyond excited for you to listen to today’s episode.

You’ll also hear that my latest book is launching soon! If you want to find out more, you can sign up for email updates here https://www.aprildunford.com/books 

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(00:00) Our guest, Bob Moesta

(04:50) What is jobs theory

(08:49) The famous milkshake story

(12:38) Competitive alternatives and their importance 

(15:36) Why the camera industry failed

(17:01) How Intercom scaled massively

(22:20) Always be problem aware first

(24:12) Why positioning is about buying, not selling

(29:20) Bob’s take on product market fit

(35:01) Thanks for listening

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

• Competing Against Luck: https://www.amazon.com/Competing-Against-Luck-Innovation-Customer/dp/0062435612 

• Jobs To Be Done: https://hbr.org/2016/09/know-your-customers-jobs-to-be-done 

• Intercom: https://www.intercom.com/ 

• Disruptive Theory: https://hbr.org/2015/12/what-is-disruptive-innovation 

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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 Pitch! You can pre-order it today on Amazon with the links below: 

Amazon Canada

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(00:00) Welcome and new book

(01:05) Marketing and sales alignment

(02:17) What is a good lead

(06:10) How marketing builds sales pitches

(09:05) Bringing marketing, sales, product, and executives together to craft positioning 

(13:40) Create a sales pitch testing protocol 

(20:19) Before you bring teams together, make sure you have structure 

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/

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. I sincerely appreciate it! 

Amazon Canada

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

—

If you want to skip ahead:

(00:00) Today’s topic and book announcement

(01:52) The initial sales pitch

(04:30) Sales discovery

(07:38) Starting with the problem

(09:18) Change in the world

(12:00) How to start your sales pitch

(16:20) Leading with expertise

(18:35) The sales pitch storytelling arch 

(22:20) Thanks for listening

—

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: ⁠⁠https://www.positioning.show/⁠⁠ 

Personal Website: ⁠⁠https://www.aprildunford.com/⁠⁠ 

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/⁠⁠ 

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/⁠⁠ 

Twitter: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/aprildunford⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@positioningshow⁠

—

Production and marketing by ⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠

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 competing at the service level for your customers, not the feature level.
• The biggest learning from Bruno’s time as the Head of Data & Analytics at Google Cloud.
• How to approach confrontation in the workplace.

I’m very excited for you to listen. 

And by the way, my book has officially launched! 

You can order a copy of Sales Pitch by going to https://www.aprildunford.com/books 

—

If You Want To Skip Ahead:

(00:00) Meet my guest Bruno Aziza

(01:50) Transitioning from a big company to a startup

(06:59) Bruno’s big takeaways from his time at a successful startup

(14:20) How Bruno applies the “center of design” concept to his thinking

(21:00) Connecting with customer pain points

(27:59) Lessons from leading Data & Analytics at Google Cloud

(33:01) Handling workplace confrontation

(35:24) Why being hyper-realistic is a great way to approach cross-functional meetings 

(38:18) Bruno’s role at CapitalG

—

Where To Find Bruno Aziza:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brunoaziza

CarCast: https://tinyurl.com/TheCarCast

Where To Find April Dunford:

Podcast Website: https://www.positioning.show/ 

Personal Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprildunford/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aprildunford

—

Referenced:

CapitalG: https://www.capitalg.com/ 

AtScale: https://www.atscale.com/

—

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/