Positioning for tech companies. Author of the best-selling books Obviously Awesome and Sales Pitch.

April Dunford is the world's foremost authority on product positioning for B2B technology companies. As a consultant, April helps companies make complex products easy to understand and love. After a 25-year career as a VP of Marketing at various fast-growing technology firms, she has consulted with 300 technology companies, including Google, Epic Games, Postman, and others. April is the acclaimed author of the best-selling book, "Obviously Awesome," which delves into the art of positioning, and the newly released, "Sales Pitch," which unveils the secrets to crafting a winning sales narrative in the market.

April Dunford

ANNOUNCEMENT - The new updated and expanded Obviously Awesome is coming!!! 🎉 🎉 

I've been sitting on this one for a while, so I'm SUPER EXCITED to get this out into the world!! 

Almost 7 years ago, I published Obviously Awesome, my attempt at describing the process I use to position B2B tech products and companies. I didn't expect many people to read it. I was wrong. 

Since then, more than 100,000 people have bought the book, and countless companies have used the process. A few hundred did that with me directly, and many, many more of you worked through the process on your own using the book. I've learned a LOT over the past 7 years, and I decided it was time to bring those learnings back to the book. 

The new edition is coming in FEBRUARY (don't ask me for a specific date - it's Amazon's world, we're just living in it). Here's what's new:

📙 5 STEPS (not 10) - In the first edition, I describe 5 components of positioning and a 10-step process for doing it. Some of you really hated that the number of steps in the process wasn’t equal to the number of components. The first few steps were pre-work, and the final steps are work that follows the exercise. I have repositioned those steps (see what I did there), and we now have 5 components and 5 steps. 

📙 The PRE-WORK section has been expanded to include key decisions a team should make before beginning a positioning exercise. This is based on my work with clients, and I think it will greatly improve any team’s chances of success when following this process.

📙 I have included sections that are more relevant to MULTIPRODUCT companies grappling with how to position their products in a company with multiple offerings. 

📙 Some steps in the process have been significantly expanded—particularly the Differentiated Value step. Most teams told me they got stuck there. I hope this new, improved section helps to clarify the concept.

📙 The final section, What Happens AFTER a Positioning Exercise, has been greatly expanded. This new section reflects my current thinking on how best to create a sales pitch to test positioning and then turn that positioning into messaging.

📙 For the first time, there will be a HARDCOVER edition. Most of you won't care, but I have seen some seriously well-loved (but also beat-up and scraggly) paperbacks at conferences, and I decided some of you need a copy that’s a little more durable!

🎙️ To go with the book, I'm reviving the Positioning PODCAST and will release a new series of episodes that dive into the book's new material. 
✍ The same goes for the NEWSLETTER (always the best way to follow my stuff). 

A new podcast episode and newsletter article drop TOMORROW - links in the comments.

You don't want to start any positioning work before making a key set of decisions

1️⃣ Is now the right time? 
Do we have enough customer experience to understand how prospects make decisions? Have we worked with enough customers to know - at least at a high level - what makes a good-fit customer different from a bad-fit customer? If the answer is no, we might want to develop a positioning thesis and tighten our positioning after we have closed more business.

2️⃣ Are we clear who this positioning is for? 
Positioning for customers is not the same as positioning for investors or employees. If we start working on positioning and half the team thinks we are building a sales pitch, the other half thinks we are building an investor pitch, very bad things will happen. 

3️⃣ What exactly are we positioning?  
Are we positioning the company, a product, or a group of products? The answer to this question might require deeper thinking about your go-to-market strategy. Getting a clear answer to this question will save you from having to debate this point mid-way through your positioning work.  

4️⃣ Which persona are you positioning for? Teams outside the sales team may not understand what a deal champion is and may be overly focused on positioning for other personas. When we talk about "value," we need to be clear about who perceives it. 

If you don't make these decisions up front, I can guarantee you will regret it. I've seen many teams rush into positioning work, only to stop midway to debate these points and backtrack to redo work they have already started. 

(I'm covering this topic in more detail in the newsletter and the podcast this week - links in comments)

Private Equity Backed Business

Global Talent Partner

Honeywell

Opportunities to shape the future.  We are hiring top technical talent. Please visit our career center: https://tinyurl.com/ckhadp3r

Honeywell offers employees the opportunity to work on the world’s most exciting projects, transforming the cities we live in, the buildings where we work, and the vehicles that move us. Employees are also offered learning opportunities, the chance to be part of a truly global and diverse workforce, and opportunities for reward and recognition linked to performance.
$$$ Operating a key role in corporate talent acquisition for Honeywell's spinoff of it's $1Billion Quantum Computing business.

Quantum Computing Corporate Recruiter | Headhunter™

VentureStarters.com

Advisor for Venture Starters, the largest community of startup founders, investors and people interested in joining startup teams that meets on-line every Wednesday. Register to attend for free at www.venturestarters.com.

Member of the Board of Advisors

ProductCampRTP™

Leading the Planning Team and Sponsorship Chair. 
•   Program and/or project management - attracting top speakers
•   Networking
•   Event planning and management 
•   Fundraising

Founded in 2008, ProductCampRTP™ is dedicated to sharing best practices, tools and training around products -- from conception to renewal. We host two major events in the spring and fall of each year, as well as educational meetups on a specific topic. ProductCampRTP™ caters to entrepreneurs, market researchers, UX/UI, design thinkers, product developers, product managers, product marketing professionals, and business/market development leaders in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina.

What Makes Us Unique?
Unlike other product-related events, ProductCampRTP™ is not owned or chartered by another company. Leveraging local experts is our way of giving back to our community, building the skills and recognizing people and businesses in the RTP.

The two (no cost) ProductCampRTP™ annual events feature a modified "unconference" format, where topics are selected by event participants. Even our monthly Meetups invite participants to submit questions prior to the event, creating a highly targeted and engaging experience.

We are industry agnostic, with educational content that may be applied to a variety of industries including technology (software, hardware, cloud services), manufacturing, services (like healthcare), and more!

Visit us: https://www.productcamprtp.org/

President, Business Development, and Sponsorship Chair

BCD Partners™ LLC

Offering a boutique Management Consulting & Business / Sales Development service: gutsy vision; in-the-trenches leadership that makes it happen.

A. Supply chain – value stream mapping; demand planning, S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning). Provide an integrated business management process through which the executive/leadership team continually achieves focus, alignment and synchronization among all functions of the organization.

B. Sustainability – develop and execute sustainability policies, incorporating sustainability in product development roadmaps, cost-benefit calculations.

C. Business Development – product development, market development, brand development, sales development, value creation, and innovation in disruptive, leading edge manufacturing technologies. Incorporate Design for Six Sigma (DfSS) for new product development. Event planning & management,  Proposal writing, Program &/or project management.  Fundraising.
• Offer consulting and strategic thinking for entrepreneurs, sales, business owners to identify and outsource tasks so they can focus on the BEST use of their resources.  
• Extend expertise and consultative assistance to increase profitable revenues, without the usual overhead costs that would otherwise be required initially for ramp up of sales resources.

D. Talent Acquisition (♦ Recruit ♦) & People Development – recruit & fill senior-level roles as a value-add to his management consulting company, sourcing, people development. Provide interim leadership roles for start-ups through private equities. University entrepreneurial development.

NOTE: in ensuing experiences below, "MM" means millions.

President / CEO

North Carolina Executive Roundtable

The North Carolina Executive Roundtable (NCER) is a non-profit professional association for senior-level business executives that provides a forum for building trusted relationships among its members. NCER encourages and facilitates professional and personal growth, effectiveness and engagement of our members. The organization fosters a culture where peers discuss and explore business ideas and challenges in an open, receptive, confidential environment. 

Visit our site: http://ncer1.org

Co-Founder, Board of Director

Westport Intl

Westport Intl is the retained search arm of a world class $xxx MM high growth integrated Talent Service Organization. Practice Areas: Materials Science & Engineered Manufacturing™ | Technology | Polymers | Coatings | Metals | Private Equity. Also offered funded payroll, HR admin, HR assessment, and IT services.

Performs deep voice-of-the-customer (VOC) interviews and heavy exploration, analysis, documentation, and interpretation of client’s talent needs. Led IT and software technology efforts.

Finds / headhunts top 10 to 20% of very accomplished candidates internationally.

Managing Director

Arris Partners, Professional and Executive Search Firm

Keywords: Specialty Chemicals, Polymers, and Advanced Materials, Industrial Manufacturing, Private Equity

Performs deep voice-of-the-customer (VOC) interviews and heavy exploration, analysis, documentation, and interpretation of client’s talent needs.

Finds / headhunts top 10 to 20% of very accomplished candidates.

Typical Searches include:

•	General Management
•	Senior & Mid-level Executives - CEO, President, COO, CFO, CMO, CSO, CHRO
•	Sales & Marketing; 	Operations & Supply Chain
•	Finance
•	Business Development & Product Development
•	Business Process Management (BPM) Talent, Operational Excellence
•	IT support - networking, operating systems, systems administration, cyber security, software administration and deployment
•	Engineers; Scientists
•	Lean Six Sigma for growth
•	Lean Six Sigma deployment| continuous improvement & operational excellence
•	Master Black Belts & Black Belts | operational, transactional, and growth

Practice Head | Corporate Matchmaker| Recruiter Materials Science & Engineering | Private Equity

DuPont

Equivalent to Vice President | Chief Marketing Officer | Chief Sales Officer in Middle Market. Led $MM (multimillion) business & national and global customers. Years of sales experience and well-developed selling and interpersonal skills in building strong relationships with both customers and internal support organizations for existing and new product / markets are needed to be successful in this role. Responsibilities include in-depth familiarity with customers’ businesses and markets, P&L (profit and loss), outbound marketing, business development, maintaining current awareness of marketplace trends, understanding competitors and their tactics at accounts and for territory covered, understanding business objectives for products and markets and translating these objectives into effective account plans. Website: www.electronicpolymers.dupont.com

▪ Commercialized three products in a challenged economy and captured value through price premium with projected sales of $ multi-million over 2 years — effectively analyzed and developed product portfolio and roadmaps working with cross-functional teams. Fostered entrepreneurial spirit and sense of urgency in a geographically spread team.
▪ Lowered manufacturing cost by 15% and increased profits by 10% for customers like Dow, Fuji, JSR Micro, and IBM by introducing new manufacturing technology to make semiconductor resist.
▪ Posted record 10% additional revenue, PTOI (Pre-Tax Operating Income), and Cash (all above budget) by increasing prices without losing market share in an industry conditioned to annual price reduction and reducing working capital by effective business, sales, and portfolio management.
▪ Participated and / or lead numerous Six Sigma, Lean, or Kaizen Projects to reduce inventory 25% and improve supply chain cycle 30%.
▪ Increased market share by 5% and improved customer satisfaction 30% with superb customer service, on-time delivery, and influencing / cultivating skills. Considered TURNAROUND expert.

Global Business, Marketing, & Sales Leader

Driven and visionary B2B and B2C Leader with international successes formulating and executing multi-million $ strategies that position, market, and sell specialty chemicals, engineered materials, components, capital equipment, technology, and services that enable manufacturing &/or assembling of products into high-growth and fast-paced markets like medical device, solar, wind energy, industrial, medical, and aerospace / military. 
 
Global expertise building brands, creating demand, commercializing products and businesses while driving revenues and earnings. Cross-functional team leader skilled at blending executive and alliance management for worldwide partners. Adept at solving problems using technical, business, influencing, and people skills to simplify complex issues and collaborate across levels, boundaries, disciplines, and cultures within the organization. Has unique talent in taking concepts to reality using strong leadership, planning / organizing / executing, networking / integrating / negotiation, creativity, oral and written communications, problem-solving, team player, and entrepreneurial style. 
 
Specialties:Market Segmentation ▪ Strategic Planning & Marketing ▪ Value Stream Mapping ▪ Business, Market, Product Development ▪ Negotiations ▪ Agile Stage Gate ▪ Risk Management & Design Control ▪ Consultative / Solution Sales▪ Branding & Positioning ▪ Competitive Intelligence ▪ Demand Planning ▪ Six Sigma Certified ▪ BS ChE and MBA Marketing & Finance
 
Combines DFSS (design for six sigma), DMADV, LEAN Marketing, Agile Stage Gate Development, and Innovation Games in business / product development.

electronicpolymers.dupont.com  (Company Website)
www2.dupont.com/Electronics/en_US/  (Company Website)
dupont.com/kevlar/  (Company Website)

Summary of Business, Marketing, Sales, and Product Development Leadership Roles

Concurrent mega-project assignments to corporate (parent) DuPont while in assigned functional business roles. Led or part of mega-project teams to scout, develop, and execute best practices in Lean Marketing & Sales, new product development, business development, and execution. Sample best practices rolled out

▪ Market share, target segmentation, valuation models, change leadership, value-based pricing, price waterfall, risk scenario analysis
▪ Rapid market & technical assessment of disruptive, leading edge manufacturing technologies for build or buy decisions
▪ Salesforce.com and SAP implementation, sales process mapping, key account management, etc.

Marketing & Sales Excellence <or Effectiveness> (MSE) and Continuous Improvement Leader

Equivalent to Vice President | Chief Marketing Officer | Chief Sales Officer in Middle Market. Directed DuPont North American $ multi-million fiber optic cable, aerospace / defense, electrical, medical, solar, wind energy, and filtration markets using aramid chemical intermediates, KEVLAR® &  NOMEX® engineered fibers, materials, and TEDLAR® films. Charged with P&L, sales, negotiations, Lean, go-to-market, outbound marketing, MSE programs (including defining, creating, & introducing innovative promotional materials / sales training tools), new business development, Salesforce.com (SFDC) CRM implementation, customer service, technical service (or field application engineers (FAE)), competitive intelligence, trade shows, and standards committees. Websites: http://www.dupont.com/nomex/
http://www.dupont.com/kevlar/

▪ Organically doubled industrial revenues and increased market share from 32% to 50% while increasing PTOI under short supply. Reduced payment terms from 90 to 30 days within 4 months in role. Accomplished through laser-precise market and target segmentation, improved key customer relationships, and driving executable segment, sales, and account management plans with very high market-back and competitive inputs. 
▪ Negotiated and secured multi-million $ contracts at premium pricing and longer lead times (at a time of supply shortage) using target segmentation and value pricing vs. customer values. Introduced 5 new products resulting in $ multi-million sales by effectively communicating value proposition to sales team, providing improved sales tools, and precise target segmentation. Introduced nanotechnology-made fibers in filtration. 
▪ Helped DuPont introduce salesforce.com CRM, define commission compensation and accountability standards for sales team, and implement awards and recognition programs. Mentored and partnered with cross-functional teams to align sales activities with business, marketing, and sales plans, corporate policy, and legal compliance.

Optoelectronics | Industrial Marketing & Technical Sales  (Commercial) Leader

Equivalent to Vice President | Chief Marketing Officer | Chief Sales Officer in Middle Market. Had various leadership roles managing multi-million $ laminate/prepreg, KEVLAR® & NOMEX® engineered fibers/epoxy|acrylate dielectrics, engineered materials, composites, thick film, conductive inks, polymers, polyimide films, & capital equipment for circuit boards, touch screen displays, OLED polymers for displays, electronic polymers, IC component devices, waveguide for optoelectronics, connectors, medical, automotive, military, & aerospace businesses. Accountable for P&L, marketing / sales strategies, distributors, trade shows, acquisitions, product development / innovation, and training. Products met MIL-STD and UL 94 specifications.
▪ Directed global cross-functional teams to develop and execute business plans and strategies. Maximized competitive position, generated record multi-million $ revenues and earnings, and set pricing and licensing agreements. Increased distributor revenue share equivalent to 9% price premium.
▪ Increased sales 20x by securing many design wins in mobile handheld market by gaining OEM, ODM, and industry acceptance
▪ Commercialized 10+ products in mobile handheld, semiconductor components, military / aerospace, & network communications. Re-branded existing products into new market space resulting in 3x – 4x more revenues.
▪ Managed & negotiated multi-million $ long-term licensing and distributor network resulting 2x more sales to distributors. 
▪ Hired | coached inside & outside sales and technical teams and fostered entrepreneurial spirit in support of 20x additional revenue from competitive gains.
▪ Published articles, product bulletins, Printed Circuits Handbook, & brochures. Conducted workshops & inside and customer training.
▪ Conceived & published “Design Rules & Guide for Dielectric Thickness” industry-wide accepted sales tool, leading to hundreds of leads & sales as OEM designers learned more effective use of products.

Global Business, Sales, Strategic & Product Marketing, Technology Leader

Equivalent to Vice President in Middle Market. Managed DuPont's laser-drillable and photopolymer (UV radiation curable) epoxy / acrylate functional dielectrics, Permanent Resist, & capital equipment businesses as an  enterprise within a corporation for medical device, display touch screens, public sector, military, aerospace, & equipment automation. Spearheaded business development, market, sales, product, and OEM development and managed distributors. Using voice-of-the-customer (VOC), developed & executed market segmentation, product innovation, sales plans, and strategic acquisitions.
▪ Organically grew total sales 20x  in hearing aid, CPAP, wearable defibrillator, respiration monitors, touch screen video displays for instrumentation, and  medical packaging. 
▪ Generated 8x more sales through organic growth, design wins, acquisitions, & expanding overseas in high-speed telecom, high frequency aerospace & defense (military), and medical device markets . Partnered & provided direct assistance with Field Sales by developing & executing product education, training, selling process / techniques. 
▪ Networked with & influenced global counterparts to develop and execute marketing strategies and new product development leading to 50% more new products.
▪ Delivered 60% increase in closure rates & increased customer satisfaction 10x with effective communication and instituting global scorecard of product and program launches with sales teams, distributors, and key accounts worldwide.
▪ Hired  | developed sales & technical teams & installed quality controls  to ensure error-free prototyping while reducing build times from 60 to 30 days. Training / coaching resulted in high performing technical service, sales team, & distributors with almost 100% customer satisfaction.
▪ Appointed 1st chair of the IPC High Density Interconnect Materials Committee creating new standards and design guides for build-up microvia dielectrics. Ensured ViaLux was treated fairly by the new standards.

Product Marketing | OEM Sales Manager | Technical Leader

Led technical sales & field application engineers (FAE) for a $7+ MM photopolymer films (coatings), chemicals, laminate & prepregs, composites, engineered materials, connectors, components, and capital equipment businesses. Sold and consulted to printed electronics, printed circuit board manufacture and assembly for medical device, telecom, computer, automotive, and aerospace & defense (military) markets. Managed commercial, government / military contracts, key accounts, and forecasting, CRM, and distributors.

• Increased medical device revenue 150% through competitive gains, many design wins with OEM / ODM / reference designers, product renewals, technical service, and innovative equipment deals. Effectively quarterbacked resources in the territory. 
• Secured multi-million $ long-term contracts among channel / distribution and key customers by target segmentation and in-depth competitive market intelligence.
• Nurtured upper management relationships leading to strong VOC resulting in 30% new  business. 
• Educated customer base on quality management & product processing that drastically reduced  customer manufacturing costs resulting in delighting customers that led to increasing market share from 35 to 60%.

Territory Technical Sales Manager

Supervised a culturally / racially diverse cross-functional team to design and implement comprehensive internal & customer training. Developed & provided training and ensured superior customer responsiveness. Served entire electronics business units from photopolymers to connectors for DuPont.

- Built group from scratch. Successfully trained and motivated new hires.
- Collaborated with Technical, Business, & Sales to define principles & policies of the training programs. Set up an ambitious schedule & delivered materials at 50% below cost.  First to introduce digital imaging & presentations for the SBU.
- Served as Technical Editor, Publisher, & contributing author. Saved thousands of $$ in training cost through production creativity & networking. Started the business of selling training packages. First to charge customers for training in SBU. 
- Improved technical competence of Sales force 30% by developing and organizing complete technical and sales training programs. Maintained skills-based database for sales personnel.
- As Customer Response Supervisor, streamlined incoming calls and improved customer service responsiveness 25% and saved $85M in phone hardware and software costs.

Training, Publications, & Customer Response Supervisor

Managed the center, laboratory, and region against a backdrop of imminent site closure. Supported all business units of DuPont Electronics -- microelectronics, printed circuit boards fabrications and assembly, connectors, specialty chemicals, and capital equipment. Led SHAREGAIN™ task group regional efforts.

- Promoted professionalism in the Center in spite of the center’s imminent closure. Increased customer response time by 20% by setting up regional laboratory facilities for supporting field sales. 
- Provided all aspects of field sales support in bringing new products and maintaining current products at customer shops, generating $1MM new business.
- Gained and protected $25MM dry film and chemicals with direct sales and distributor efforts.
- Led and supported SPC and total quality management efforts for key customers, reducing customer costs by $500M.
- Safely shut-down Center and efficiently liquidated capital assets, saving $250M depreciation costs.
- Awarded Division TURNAROUND Expert for saving businesses from competitive threats and improving business systems both valued over $10M

Eastern Technical Center (Commercial) Sales Manager

Managed product / process development & technical service of photopolymer films &imaging chemicals and engineered materials. Train newly-hired sales engineers. Supported a $20 million business.

- Successfully supervised 20 to 30 engineers & technicians, two interns, & two contractors. 
- Mentored & promoted employees. Espoused active training & development. Along with employees, created mission / vision, strategies & tactics, operating principles & policies, & installed appropriate metrics to measure progress vs. Goals. Employed appropriate analytical & measurement tools to meet schedules, etc.
- Created new product development protocol & prepared first group training manual. 
- Successfully trained new & current salesforce. 
- Helped sell through effective technical sales presentations to customers & at conferences.
- Thrived in managing multiple projects simultaneously. 
- Earned recognition for resolving customer inquiries quickly & accurately. Subject matter expert (SME).
- Seamlessly worked with a diverse workforce.
- Four subordinates eventually became business managers and directors

Technical Sales, Service & Development Supervisor

Top 1% Most Viewed LinkedIn Profile. NOTE: in ensuing experiences below, "MM" means millions.

I'm a Global Head of All things Products with a background in general management (P&L), product management/ product development / strategy / strategic marketing / sales / operations of engineered physical products and intangible offerings of people talent.

My success in serving clients derives from recognizing that talent development combined with key hiring are critical to business successes. I combine my corporate and consulting achievements with agile, process-gated search process to exhaustively and accurately recruit / headhunt top talent to his clients. People call me a Matchmaker.

My functional accomplishments spanning 30 years at DuPont Co. that helps me and my Team headhunt / recruit successfully are:
#leadership #execution #projectmanagement #program management #customerfocus #prodmgmt #productmanagement #productdevelopment #productinnovation #productmarketing #productdevelopment #uxdesigner  #designthinking #entrepreneur #productstrategy #leanagile #productoperations #ProductOps #conference event planning #proposal writing #fundraising

Through my career, I have developed, manufactured, marketed, sold, and serviced diverse industries, allowing for deep understanding within the innovative, leading-edge, disruptive opportunities in the following markets:
 
•	Electronics; Printed (Flexible) Electronics; Medical Device; Printed Circuit Board & Assembly 
•	Semiconductor (IC chip) Fabrication & Packaging; Flat Panel & Touch Displays
•	Solid State Lighting; 3D Additive Printing; Wearable Electronics 
•	Automotive; Aerospace; Industrials; Military/Defense
•	Medical Device, Instruments, & Equipment
•	Industrial Packaging (Rigid & Flexible)

All views expressed by me on LinkedIn are my own.

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April Dunford

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