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Intro
This chapter explores the essential role of value in marketing and sales, focusing on its importance in meeting customer needs. Through a personal anecdote, the hosts illustrate the difficulties of effectively communicating value in the enterprise CRM market.
Today’s episode is a repost of one of my favorite topics: why value is important for positioning for B2B technology companies.
In this episode, first I define value vs. differentiated value, and explain why the latter is key to everything. Next I explore how to find the right balance between features and value, and I share tips on mastering your product walkthrough and proving your claims to customers. I also cover common mistakes to avoid when segmenting your audience, the job of a market category, and how a strong understanding of your differentiated value will inform successful messaging that resonates with your customers.
Lastly, near the end of the episode, I discuss my book, “Sales Pitch: How to Craft a Story to Stand Out and Win,” which you can get from Amazon https://amzn.to/49l0ZRY and wherever good books are sold—see more links below. (When I originally published this episode, my book wasn’t out yet. But it’s been out for 10 months now and has received hundreds of 5-star reviews.)
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If you want to skip ahead:
(00:15) Defining value.
(01:14) A story about Janna Systems and their biggest competitor, Siebel Systems.
(04:19) How one sales rep changes everything.
(07:35) How Janna Systems shifted their positioning and won over Siebel Systems.
(08:34) Customers don’t care about your features.
(10:28) Value vs. differentiated value and what really matters.
(13:15) Value buckets.
(14:06) Why value is difficult to understand.
(16:06) Helping customers translate value on their own.
(18:21) Mastering your product walkthrough.
(20:00) The importance of proving your value to customers.
(21:47) Finding your best-fit customer.
(23:50) Common mistakes to avoid.
(25:11) Differentiated value and the job of a market category.
(27:43) How differentiated value informs messaging.
(29:30) My book about sales pitches.
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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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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
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3xihSzC
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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
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Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode