Positioning with April Dunford
April Dunford
Want to make your product stand out in a crowded market? It all starts with great positioning. I’m April Dunford, the expert high-growth tech companies go to when they have a positioning problem. With over two decades of experience as a startup executive and consultant, I have positioned and re-positioned hundreds of products and companies. Using my battle-tested methodology, I'll teach you the nitty-gritty of positioning so that you can unlock better marketing and sales performance. If you're an entrepreneur, marketer, or business leader who wants to stand out, this podcast is for you.
Episodes
Mentioned books
28 snips
Oct 3, 2024 • 34min
Customer-Led Growth: Why Funnels are Outdated with Georgiana Laudi
Georgiana Laudi, founder of Forget the Funnel and author of a book on customer-led growth, challenges traditional marketing funnels as outdated. She emphasizes the necessity of understanding customer experiences beyond the funnel, advocating for a focus on customer-led strategies. Georgiana discusses the significance of mapping customer journeys and the impact of effective onboarding on growth. She also highlights the importance of tailored KPIs to measure customer success and the value of targeted messaging aligned with customer needs.
21 snips
Sep 19, 2024 • 29min
How to Frame a Sales Conversation
Discover the nuances of framing a sales conversation. Learn about three common ways to kick off a pitch and their various pros and cons. Delve into the effectiveness of presenting market changes versus starting with discovery. Uncover why leading with a unique insight can set you apart from competitors. Gain insights on tailoring your approach for enterprise versus small businesses, and the importance of positioning yourself as an expert in your field.
Aug 15, 2024 • 37min
From Michelin Stars to Marketing Stars: Product Marketing Lessons from Tamara Grominsky
Tamara Grominsky, a product marketing expert and former VP at Kajabi and Unbounce, shares her insights on effective product marketing strategies. She discusses the importance of understanding the product better than product managers and the need for realistic expectations when hiring marketers. Tamara highlights creative tactics from the Michelin Guide and emphasizes strategic segmentation over traditional personas. She also offers tips on intentional product launches and the significance of analyzing existing customers to refine marketing approaches.
36 snips
Aug 1, 2024 • 32min
Harnessing the Power of Differentiated Value: How To Win Over Customers and Outperform Competitors
Discover the crucial difference between value and differentiated value for B2B tech success. Hear a captivating story of how a small company took on industry giant Siebel Systems by leveraging its unique features. Learn how a dynamic sales rep transformed their strategy, landing pivotal clients like Goldman Sachs. Explore effective methods for conveying your product's value and avoid common pitfalls in audience segmentation. Uncover how a strong grasp of differentiated value can elevate your messaging and drive customer engagement.
22 snips
Jul 18, 2024 • 42min
Mastering Messaging for B2B Tech with Emma Stratton
Emma Stratton, Founder of a consulting firm for B2B tech, discusses the differences between B2B and B2C, the value of flexible messaging, the importance of concise tech language, and the need to avoid marketing jargon. She also shares insights on crafting engaging taglines and headlines to capture audience attention.
6 snips
Jul 4, 2024 • 48min
Rethinking Marketing and Storytelling with Martina Lauchengco
Martina Lauchengco discusses gathering customer insights, product marketing strategies, collaboration between marketing and sales, rapid technological change impact, and storytelling frameworks in sales pitches. They cover win/loss analysis, product marketers' role in go-to-market strategies, and the confusion between product marketing and management. The debate on where product marketing should report and the importance of capable leadership are also highlighted.
35 snips
Jun 13, 2024 • 43min
Rethinking Sales Strategies for Modern Markets with Loren Padelford
Sales and marketing expert Loren Padelford discusses the limitations of predictable revenue, Salesforce's game-changing approach to software sales, and the need for personalized sales systems. Topics include traits for successful sales, Shopify's unique hiring strategies, and the role of sales reps as e-commerce platform tour guides.
69 snips
May 30, 2024 • 31min
A Buyer-Centric Approach to Competitive Positioning
Exploring competitive positioning in B2B sales, the podcast covers strategies for facing status quo, direct, and 'do nothing' competitors. It emphasizes the importance of value proposition, deal champions, objection handling, and reducing customer indecision. Tips include disqualifying unqualified leads, addressing objections, and educating customers on trade-offs.
34 snips
May 16, 2024 • 51min
Arming Sales Teams To Win in the Market, with Brent Adamson
Brent Adamson discusses arming sales teams with Challenger Sales concept, customer context changes, supplier selection complexities, and buyer's journey insights. Emphasizes empowering customers to make confident decisions through frame break and making, value demonstration, and customer-centric approaches.
24 snips
May 2, 2024 • 19min
The Role of Market Category in Differentiation
Explore how market category plays a crucial role in positioning products and companies. Learn how to communicate differentiated value and stand out from competitors. Understand the importance of focusing on unique value propositions and customer needs. Discover why positioning in an underserved segment of a market category can be easier than creating a new category.
