Navigating the Impact of Proof of Concepts on Deal Progression

In today’s episode, I explore the different types of competitors you face and how you can position yourself against each of them.

You will learn:

* How different departments or groups in a company (e.g. sales, product development, etc.) view and define competitors differently.

* The 3 types of competitors: (1) status quo competitors, (2) direct competitors, and (3) “do nothing” competitors.

* Positioning yourself against status quo competitors requires nailing your value versus the status quo, and understanding a customer’s pain of changing from the status quo over to you.

* Positing yourself against direct competitors entails leaning into your differentiated value, as compared to your competition.

* Positioning yourself against “do nothing” competitors involves understanding why customers evaluated you and your competitors, yet became indecisive and didn’t pick any solution/product/service.

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If you want to skip ahead:

(4:36) Positioning against competitors in B2B sales.

(9:59) Winning strategies for B2B sales, including disqualifying unqualified leads and addressing indecision in purchasing decisions.

(14:45) Handling objections, increasing confidence in purchase decisions, and educating customers on trade-offs.

(19:56) Ways to reduce customer indecision in sales deals.

(24:53) Sales strategies for tech companies, focusing on positioning, best-fit customers, and risk mitigation.

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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

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Mentioned in this episode:

* April Dunford’s article/newsletter about this topic: https://aprildunford.substack.com/p/a-buyer-centric-approach-to-competitive

* To get the free templates related to April Dunford’s two books, go to https://www.aprildunford.com/books and sign up for the newsletter; then you’ll receive an email to download the free templates.

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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

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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://spoti.fi/4aqyDqI

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@positioningshow

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This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: https://www.SuccessWithStories.com