Harnessing the Power of Differentiated Value: How To Win Over Customers and Outperform Competitors

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