New Thinking on Market Categories

28 snips

Mar 19, 2026

They unpack why picking the wrong market category creates confusion and extra work. They explain the real purpose of a category as a pointer to your differentiated value. They outline three positioning strategies and when each fits. They explore when to invent a new category and the risks of doing so.

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INSIGHT

Market Category Exists To Point Customers To Value

Market category is a tool to point customers toward your differentiated value.
Starting with an aspirational category often misaligns with your actual capabilities and creates confusion that sales must undo.

ADVICE

Do No Harm When Choosing A Market Category

Do no harm with your category; pick one that triggers true assumptions about your product.
In a positioning workshop compare your differentiated value and best-fit customer to the current category and keep it if it aligns.

ADVICE

Try Qualifiers Or Adjacent Categories First

If your current category misdirects customers, try a qualifier or shift to an adjacent category first.
Use qualifiers like industry, company size, or environment before inventing a brand new category.

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In today’s episode, I explore why companies overcomplicate market categories, how starting with the wrong category leads to confusion, and what the job of a market category actually is. I break down how to align your category with your differentiated value so customers immediately understand what you do. You will also learn the three positioning strategies and how to choose the one that gives you the best chance of winning in your market.

You will learn:

(00:00:00) Understand why starting with an aspirational market category leads to weak positioning and customer confusion.

(00:03:29) Discover the true role of a market category as a tool to guide customer understanding, not replace messaging.

(00:05:02) Identify how the wrong category creates false assumptions that sales and marketing must constantly undo.

(00:10:16) Break down the three positioning strategies and when each one makes sense for your business.

(00:18:00) Recognize the long-term risks and challenges of creating a brand new market category.

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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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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

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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.