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

Can you use my positioning methodology to get yourself a date? I had a fun conversation with Brent Adamson and Shari Levitin on the Selling Isn't Everything podcast, where we talked about a bunch of things like:
♥️ Can you use my book, Obviously Awesome, to position yourself for romance (spoiler - I don't think it's a great idea, but hey, your mileage may vary!)
♥️ "Fractional CMO" is not great positioning (I mean, it's fine in the short term, but let's be honest, marketers can do better)
♥️ Why it's important to think about value and best-fit customers as a matching set
♥️ Why the "insight" step in a sales pitch is so hard to get right, but also critically important. 
This was a fun one!
Episode link in the comments

Luca Lisci

Senior Creative and digital strategist for marketing and entertainment industry.

BAX Group AG

As the Executive Art Director & Digital/AI Executive Director for BAX Group, I play a pivotal role in the leadership of the BAX Media Branch within the group. My responsibilities encompass overseeing both the artistic direction and the digital innovation strategy of the Group's media initiatives.

Executive Art Director Responsibilities:

Artistic Vision: Define and maintain the artistic vision and brand identity across all media platforms, from Off-line to On-line and Extended Reality.

Creative Direction: Provide leadership and guidance to the artistic team, ensuring high-quality and cohesive experience designs.

Collaboration: Collaborate with other departments to integrate artistic elements seamlessly into marketing, advertising, and promotional campaigns.

Quality Assurance: Oversee the quality control process to ensure that all artistic deliverables meet the company's standards and objectives.

Trend Analysis: Stay updated on industry trends and best practices in design to keep the company's artistic output fresh and innovative.

Digital/AI Executive Director Responsibilities:

Digital Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive digital strategy aligned with the company's overall goals and objectives.

AI Integration: Explore opportunities for integrating Artificial Intelligence technologies into digital initiatives to enhance user experiences and optimize operations.

Innovation: Lead the exploration and implementation of emerging digital technologies and trends to maintain a competitive edge in the market.

Data Analysis: Utilize data analytics to measure the effectiveness of digital campaigns and identify areas for improvement and optimization.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with other departments and companies of the Group , including BAX Digital, BAX Verse, BAX Fashion, BAX Style and XAVIER through marketing, IT, and product development, to ensure alignment and synergy across digital initiatives.

Executive Art Director & Digital / AI Executive Director

Decision Science Alliance

With this voluntary commitment, I realize my dedication to promoting ethical practices and non-profit contributions in the scientific research space. My role on the board involves strategic discussions that guide the future and direction of DSA. As Editorial Director, leveraging my background in journalism, I focus on exploring the horizons of decision science. My goal is to diversify and disseminate studies, news, and research in decision-making, enhancing science's role in shaping humanity's choices. This role is not just about sharing information; it's about creating a comprehensive narrative highlighting science's importance in decision-making through analyzing and discussing future trends and perspectives in technology, culture, politics, society, and economics. This approach helps guide the vision and influence of DSA in the ever-evolving landscape of decision science, ensuring its relevance and impact in various spheres of human activity.

Board Member

Raffles Milano Istituto Moda e Design

As the Owner of the AI Lab for the Creative Industry at Raffles Milano, my role blends AI expertise with creative disciplines, pushing the boundaries in fields like design, art, and fashion. I not only manage but also inspire through teaching, guiding students and researchers at the intersection of AI and creativity. This involves leading specialized courses and nurturing a new wave of innovators. My responsibilities extend to forging industry partnerships, ensuring our lab aligns with the evolving creative industry. This role is about creating a nexus between technology, art, and academia. In managing the lab, I focus on fostering an innovative environment, equipped with cutting-edge technology. My role also involves disseminating our research and insights, contributing to the wider understanding of AI in creative industries. Ultimately, my position at the AI Lab is about shaping a future where AI and creativity not only coexist but thrive together, driving pioneering developments in the creative realm.

Adjunct Professor

Effimera

Effimera was found in 2013 as Art Atelier, a Research Lab in Generative, Performing and Interactive Art, collecting the projects produced in the decade by Luca Lisci with the first virtual MoMA Pavillion in the metaverse and collaborating with major authors like Peter Greenaway and Saskia Boddeke to launch a deep exploration of virtual machines' role in human creativity. The exploration deepened along the years at the blending of Theatre, Videography, Metaverses and then exhibiting from Italy to Spain, France and USA, Brazil and China. In 2023, after 10 years from its foundation, with the emerging impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence, Spatial Computing and Blockchain on the poetic of the Technological Sublime Effimera embraced the way of its very destiny: to become a pure art experience in itself.

Founder

Newton S.p.A.

Supporting Newton SpA for: formulation of technology-enabled business innovation strategies; Concept and Design and Products, Services, Format, Contents and Experiences; Marketing and advertising strategies, IT consultancy on the usability and applicability of technologies, with particular attention to Artificial Intelligence. My project in Artificial Intelligence were developed for client such as AZIMUT, ANIMA, HILTI

Principal Consultant

next present

By appointment of Newton Group I've incepted, funded and bootstrapped this venture dedicated to the ethical and sustainable cultural dissemination leveraged by Artificial Intelligence and innovative technologies in the Learning and Training industry.

Memori Srl

Memori.ai is an Italian Artificial Intelligence development company established in 2017. Enjoy Twin Creator, the most versatile and accessible Conversational AI Platform-as-a-Service on the market.

Partner

Spindox

I've built a brand new Digital Business Consultancy Unit for Spindox Group, focussing its Value Proposition and Strategy with Design Thinking approach for end-to-end Ideation, Service Design and Marketing to achieve target ROI and customer’s strategy success. While designing and applying new methodologies, like the Data Thinking framework to omnichannel strategies for marketing and sales of both B2C and B2B business models, I’ve leaded the team with particular interest to Innovation, Change management and Company culture. The ' Bixuit ' Digital Business Atelier reached its goals by developing many complex Services and Products, from Strategy to Execution form any clients such as SIAE, Lamborghini, Maserati, FCA, Valentino, UBI banca, Unicredit, Ferrero, Ferragamo, GS1, F1 Gestione Sportiva and many others.

Head of Design & Chief Experience Officer

the Bureau - Research and Strategy Agency

Built as a trend research and digital communications independent studio, the Bureau has developed research papers and communications finance corporate media initiatives working between Singapore, New York, London, Lugano and Milan. Meeting several investment banks and funds' research groups ranging from Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley.

reload Srl

Built strategic offering and rebranded the enterprise to focus to the PMO and Digital Consultancy space.

Founding Member

My deep vocation for forward-thinking has led me through a 30-year career as a designer, entrepreneur, and journalist. I've dedicated myself to innovation, design strategies, and the effective use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence to enrich cultural and business paradigms. I have applied my concept of leadership by founding several AI-driven startups. As an Executive Strategist, I have formulated innovative businesses enabled by technology for notable Italian consultancy and ICT firms. As a Designer and Art Director, the development of numerous corporate, product, and experiential businesses across a wide range of applications, led me to the honor of being a candidate Compasso D'Oro. As a Researcher and Journalist, I have made my mark as Editor-in-Chief and writer, also contributing as Board Member on Science and Tech, providing insights on digital innovations and market trends to leading investment banks. This role, combined with my academic efforts as an Adjunct Professor, underscores my continuous quest to understand and predict technological advancements.

Formulation of technology-enabled business innovation strategies; Concept and Design and Products, Services, Format, Contents and Experiences; Marketing and advertising strategies, IT consultancy on the usability and applicability of technologies, with particular attention to Blockchain innovation, NFT, Artificial Intelligence and everything that revolves around the so-called web3

taplio

The Battle

April Dunford

Luca Lisci

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taplio

The Battle

April Dunford

Luca Lisci

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}April Dunford's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreApril Dunford's LinkedIn Performance