Positioning with April Dunford

In today’s episode, I dive into what needs to happen before you ever start a positioning exercise. I explain why positioning fails when teams skip preparation, ignore alignment, or try to make positioning work for every customer they’ve ever had. I also walk through how to assemble the right team, let go of outdated assumptions, and create shared language so positioning decisions actually stick.
You will learn:
(01:53) How the second edition of my book Obviously Awesome restructures positioning into pre-work, core work, and post-work.
(03:12) Why positioning is not a marketing-only activity and requires cross-functional input.
(05:54) What sales, product, founders, and executives uniquely contribute to positioning decisions.
(10:29) How to assemble the right-sized positioning team without derailing facilitation.
(11:56) Why identifying obvious bad-fit customers upfront improves positioning clarity.
(18:56) How to let go of legacy positioning baggage that no longer fits your market reality.
(21:58) Why aligning on positioning vocabulary before the workshop prevents costly confusion.

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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

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Mentioned in this episode:
* Obviously Awesome, Second Edition (forthcoming).

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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: https://bookshop.org/contributors/april-dunford

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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://open.spotify.com/show/02XBrnPJ7NVGPUgHC7xstU
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@positioningshow

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This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

In today’s episode, I dive into the decisions teams need to make before they ever start a positioning exercise. I explain why positioning readiness matters, how unlaunched products lead to positioning theses rather than true positioning, and why clarity around audience, scope, and personas is essential. Also, this episode sets the foundation for a new mini-series tied to the second edition of my book, Obviously Awesome, focusing on what I’ve learned after hundreds of positioning workshops.
You will learn:
(01:34) Why I decided to release a second edition of Obviously Awesome after six years of client feedback.
(04:35) How the positioning methodology has evolved from ten steps to five steps and five components.
(08:38) Why unlaunched products should focus on a "positioning thesis" rather than a final positioning strategy.
(09:58) The benefit of keeping your positioning loose before launch.
(13:00) Why it’s vital to distinguish positioning for customers from positioning for investors.
(15:59) Why single-product companies should treat company and product positioning as the same thing.
(17:51) Strategies for deciding whether to position a lead wedge product, a platform, or a suite of products.
(22:26) How to identify the "champion" persona.
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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:
* Obviously Awesome, Second Edition (forthcoming).

—

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: https://bookshop.org/contributors/april-dunford

—

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://open.spotify.com/show/02XBrnPJ7NVGPUgHC7xstU
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@positioningshow

—

This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

In today’s episode, I explore the crucial distinction between positioning your product’s value and handling objections. I explain why understanding the buyer personas in a B2B deal is essential to tailor messaging for champions versus other stakeholders. I also highlight scenarios where objection handling can transform into a core value driver under certain market conditions.
You will learn:
(00:00) Why Value and Objection Handling Aren’t the Same
* Value drives purchase decisions, while objection handling removes potential blockers.
* Focusing on core value themes helps customers remember what sets your product apart.
(04:56) Turning Features into Meaningful Value
* Product capabilities only matter when translated into business outcomes customers care about.
* Asking “so what?” ensures features connect to tangible benefits.

(07:24) Objections: Identifying, Anticipating, and Handling Them
* Objections often arise from non-buying stakeholders like IT, legal, and end users.
* Objection handling should occur after establishing value, not before.

(14:18) Understanding the Roles in a B2B Buying Committee
* Champions push deals forward, while other personas can stall or block decisions.
* Equipping champions to navigate internal objections increases deal success rates.

(20:49) When Objection Handling Becomes a Value Driver
* Poor competitor performance can turn typical objections into selling points.
* Listening to customer frustrations reveals opportunities for repositioning.

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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 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.
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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

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

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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

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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:

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