How April Dunford Built a 7-Figure Solo Consulting Biz
Jan 16, 2024
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Marketing executive April Dunford shares her journey to building a 7-figure solo consulting business, highlighting the importance of focus and narrowing down. She also discusses her struggles with positioning, the criteria for selecting B2B clients, transitioning to higher pricing, and future plans including a new book release.
Recognize your strengths and specialize to become an expert in your niche.
Focus on positioning and clear messaging to effectively convey your value to customers.
Embrace setbacks as opportunities for growth and continuously improve to build a successful business.
Deep dives
Focus on your strengths and specialization
Most people underestimate their own skills and strengths. It's important to recognize what you're really good at and what sets you apart. By focusing on your strengths and specializing in a specific area, you can become an expert in that field and attract clients who value your expertise.
Narrow your focus for better results
In marketing jobs, there is often a lot of variety and multiple responsibilities. However, narrowing your focus and specializing in a specific niche can lead to better results. By becoming an expert in a narrow area, you can provide more value to clients and differentiate yourself from the competition.
Positioning and messaging are essential
Positioning is a crucial aspect of marketing. It involves understanding your target audience, differentiating yourself from competitors, and communicating your unique value proposition. By focusing on positioning and developing clear and compelling messaging, you can effectively convey your value to potential customers.
Learn from past experiences and setbacks
April Dunford, the marketing consultant, had her fair share of challenges and setbacks throughout her career. However, these experiences allowed her to gain valuable insights and learn important lessons. It's essential to embrace setbacks as opportunities for growth and use them to refine your approach and improve your future endeavors.
Building a successful business requires time, effort, and focus
Building a thriving solo business like April Dunford's takes time, effort, and focus. It's essential to dedicate yourself to your craft, continuously learning and improving. Additionally, being selective with clients, focusing on providing value, and constantly refining your skills and processes are all key factors in building and maintaining a successful business.
I’m so f*cking happy to announce that my book, Stand The F*ck Out, is officially available for PURCHASE! To buy the book—and more!—DIRECTLY from us and support our small business, go to: book.stfo.io
In today's episode, you will learn how the most charismatic and no-nonsense consultant in the tech marketing space has built a 7-figure business, flying solo. The story goes like this.
On December 15, 2017, an email from a Canadian friend landed in my inbox, “If you're looking for suggestions for upcoming interviews, have you looked into April Dunford? She's a marketing executive who's now focusing on consulting practice and positioning for startups. At every conference I've heard her speak at, she has literally blown everyone else out of the water. She's got a unique mix of saucy wit and laser-sharp insight honed over years with the big boys of the tech space. And I think her communication style would lend itself well to your approach to interviews.”
And so I did interview her. Twice. Then, I watched from the sidelines as April rose to the top of the B2B marketing world.
But I never got to ask the questions I REALLY wanted to ask her… Mainly: “How did you do it? How did you become the most famous B2B marketing expert in less than five years?”
Until today…
Topics Covered:
(00:00) - Intro
(04:09) - Starting a business on the right note
(04:53) - April’s journey to positioning consulting
(13:24) - Scattered engagements, impact concerns, and a beachside epiphany
(14:04) - April's ultimate business aspirations - best work, good people, fair compensation.
(15:42) - Shifting focus and finding prowess in positioning
(16:31) - Tips for identifying unique skill set and honing specialisation
(19:45) - Refining engagements, focusing on B2B, and vetting potential clients.
(25:04) - Methodology over execution, simplifying messaging, and speeding time-to-value
(34:04) - Expanding reach via public speaking, social media, and the release of a game-changing book
(40:04) - How April transformed her client base from smaller startups to pre-IPO companies
