How to nail your product positioning | April Dunford (Obviously Awesome)

Summary

In this insightful interview, April Dunford discusses the importance of positioning in B2B sales, especially in enterprise software. She explains how companies should focus on understanding their key 'champion' persona—the individual who drives consensus and decision-making—rather than wasting time on multiple, less impactful personas. By aligning marketing and sales efforts around the champion, companies can create effective go-to-market strategies, ensure product resonance, and streamline the sales process. April also shares her thoughts on Twitter as a platform for refining ideas through thoughtful interaction and feedback, and promotes her book, 'Obviously Awesome,' as a resource for further learning.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on understanding the type of companies that benefit from your product, not just individual personas.
• 😀 B2B sales often involve 5-7 decision-makers, with the 'champion' being the most crucial persona in closing the deal.
• 😀 The champion is responsible for getting consensus and selling your product to other stakeholders in the organization.
• 😀 If your positioning does not resonate with the champion, you will not even make it to the shortlist of vendors.
• 😀 Rather than creating detailed personas for every decision-maker, focus on arming the champion to advocate for your product.
• 😀 Marketing and sales efforts should focus on segments of companies that share common characteristics, such as company size and software packages used.
• 😀 Persona development for B2B should prioritize the champion role, rather than creating stereotypes for each persona involved in the decision-making process.
• 😀 The key to successful B2B sales is to empower the champion to sell the product internally to other decision-makers like IT, purchasing, and legal.
• 😀 Marketing teams should avoid wasting resources creating generic personas for multiple roles; instead, focus on the champion and their needs.
• 😀 Using platforms like Twitter can be a valuable way to refine ideas, engage with a thoughtful audience, and test concepts that improve your thinking.

Q & A

What is the primary focus when segmenting a market in B2B sales?

The primary focus should be on identifying the kinds of companies that are most likely to benefit from your product or service. This involves looking at specific attributes like company size, the software they use, and other relevant factors. Understanding these patterns allows for more targeted marketing and sales efforts.

Why is it important to understand the company rather than just the individual in B2B marketing?

In B2B marketing, understanding the company is crucial because decisions are often made by multiple stakeholders. By identifying patterns within the company, such as the software they use or their size, you can tailor your strategy to appeal to similar organizations, ensuring your marketing resonates more effectively.

What role does the 'champion' persona play in the B2B sales process?

The 'champion' persona is the key decision influencer in a B2B sales process. This person is responsible for rallying internal support and driving consensus across the organization. Their buy-in is essential for moving the deal forward, as they advocate for the product internally to other decision-makers.

Why does April Dunford believe that focusing on multiple personas in B2B marketing is ineffective?

April Dunford argues that creating personas for every stakeholder involved in a B2B deal dilutes focus. Instead, she emphasizes that the champion persona is the most important. Once you resonate with the champion, they can help sell the idea to other stakeholders, making it unnecessary to overly focus on all personas.

What is the most important aspect of positioning in B2B sales?

The most important aspect of positioning in B2B sales is making sure that the champion persona fully understands and is aligned with your solution. If the positioning doesn't resonate with the champion, the deal is unlikely to progress, regardless of how well you address other personas.

How does the B2B decision-making process typically unfold?

In B2B sales, particularly in enterprise software, the decision-making process usually involves five to seven people. These stakeholders might include the champion (the person leading the charge), IT, purchasing, legal, and sometimes other departments. The champion plays a central role in getting consensus and selling the solution to the other stakeholders.

What mistake do marketing teams often make when creating personas?

Marketing teams often create overly detailed, stereotypical personas for every individual involved in the B2B buying process. This leads to an unfocused strategy that doesn't effectively prioritize the champion persona, who is the key driver in the sales process.

How does the champion persona influence the rest of the buying process?

The champion persona is crucial because they are responsible for advocating for the product to other stakeholders, including IT, purchasing, and the economic buyer (the person who writes the check). Without the champion's support, the deal is unlikely to progress.

What advice does April Dunford give regarding marketing strategies for B2B sales?

April Dunford advises that marketing strategies should focus on empowering the champion persona. Instead of creating personas for every individual involved in the decision-making process, the focus should be on making sure the champion is equipped with the right messaging and resources to sell internally.

How does April Dunford use Twitter in relation to her work and ideas?

April Dunford uses Twitter to clarify her thinking and engage in discussions with her audience. She appreciates smart, constructive interactions that challenge her ideas and help refine her thinking, especially when she shares half-baked or controversial thoughts. She values the engagement and feedback she receives from her followers.