Differentiated value is central

In today’s episode, I explore why differentiated value is the most important—and most misunderstood—part of positioning. I explain why customers don’t really care that much about features, how to use the “so what?” question to uncover what truly matters, and why this step takes more time than any other in a positioning exercise. I also share how my thinking on value has evolved since the first edition of my book, Obviously Awesome, and why I expanded this section so much in the second edition.

You will learn:

(03:14) How skipping competitive alternatives and capabilities leads to opinion-based positioning.

(04:38) Why differentiated value is about outcomes, not feature checklists.

(06:15) How to use repeated “so what?” questions to move from features to real value.

(08:27) Why “make money” and “save money” alone are not enough to differentiate.

(10:02) How to focus value messaging on the champion rather than every stakeholder.

(13:31) Why teams should align on value concepts before worrying about copywriting.

(17:23) How to separate true value from objection handling in your positioning.

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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

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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), by April Dunford.

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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

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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/

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