April Dunford is the author of “Obviously Awesome”, and in this episode, she talks about positioning—what it is and why it’s important. She dives into some of the analogies she used in her book to explain how positioning works. She also brings up Clay Christensen's milkshake story to break down the 5 components of positioning. She then answers some of the viewers’ questions, offering practical advice for startups.



Show Notes

[03:22] Some misconceptions about positioning, why positioning is important in business, and how it differs from traditional branding

[09:22] Why positioning is like the opening scene of a movie

[16:25] Some signs of weak positioning: total confusion, wrong comparisons, prospective clients don’t think your value is valuable or they think your vision is just a fantasy

[20:25] Define what makes your product special and then figure out what is the best context to frame those qualities in

[25:35] The 5 components of positioning: competitive alternatives, unique capabilities, differentiated value, target market segments, and market category

[27:58] On Clayton Christensen’s “Jobs to Be Done” theory

[36:05] How to convince buy-in companies that positioning is important

[43:18] How to define positioning if you do not have best customer fit yet

[45:08] How positioning influences product development



[50:05] How to position your product or company if you want to cater to different countries



About April Dunford

April Dunford studied engineering in university and then spent the first 25 years of her career as a marketing executive for startups. She has worked as a consultant for more than 100 companies, helping them fine-tune their sales and marketing teams.

Aside from being an expert on product positioning, April is also a mentor, an adviser, and a keynote speaker. She lives in Toronto, Canada with her kids and a small dog.



Links

Salesforce

Competing Against Luck by Clayton Christensen



Profile

April Dunford's website

April Dunford's Twitter