In today’s episode, I explore the crucial distinction between positioning your product’s value and handling objections. I explain why understanding the buyer personas in a B2B deal is essential to tailor messaging for champions versus other stakeholders. I also highlight scenarios where objection handling can transform into a core value driver under certain market conditions.

You will learn:

(00:00) Why Value and Objection Handling Aren’t the Same

* Value drives purchase decisions, while objection handling removes potential blockers.

* Focusing on core value themes helps customers remember what sets your product apart.

(04:56) Turning Features into Meaningful Value

* Product capabilities only matter when translated into business outcomes customers care about.

* Asking “so what?” ensures features connect to tangible benefits.

(07:24) Objections: Identifying, Anticipating, and Handling Them

* Objections often arise from non-buying stakeholders like IT, legal, and end users.

* Objection handling should occur after establishing value, not before.

(14:18) Understanding the Roles in a B2B Buying Committee

* Champions push deals forward, while other personas can stall or block decisions.

* Equipping champions to navigate internal objections increases deal success rates.

(20:49) When Objection Handling Becomes a Value Driver

* Poor competitor performance can turn typical objections into selling points.

* Listening to customer frustrations reveals opportunities for repositioning.

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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

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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:

In today’s episode, I dive into the art of transforming competitor strengths into weaknesses, a practice which I sometimes call “marketing jiu-jitsu.”

You will learn:

* How competitor strengths can double as weaknesses in different markets.

* Opportunities for challenger brands to carve out niche markets.

* The differences between platform and tool positioning and their respective advantages.

* Competing with legacy brands.

* Competing against free or low-cost products.

* Appealing to end users versus decision-makers.

* Using manager-level value propositions to win deals against free tools.

* Focusing on high-value market segments to avoid a race to the bottom.

* Examples of successful positioning from companies like Salesforce, IBM, and Snowflake.

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If you want to skip ahead:

(00:37) Marketing Jiu-Jitsu

(01:51) Empowering End Users vs. IT

(05:01) Market Leadership vs. Challenger Strategies

(09:54) Niche Market Strategies and CRM Examples

(13:26) Platform vs. Tool

(21:05) Competing Against Free and Low-Cost Products

(26:43) Focusing on High-Value Segments

—

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

—

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

—

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 Media & Marketing: https://www.SuccessWithStories.com

In today’s episode, I explore the frustrating yet common issue of competitors making false or exaggerated claims about their products.

In this episode, I answer the question: When you want to discuss your differentiated product or service, what do you do if you’ve got a competitor who lies that they too have the same product or service, when in fact they don’t?

You will learn:

* The misconception that competitors can easily replicate differentiated features.

* How architectural and resource constraints make copying features harder than it seems.

* Competitors often stretch the truth or outright lie about capabilities.

* Focusing on the value delivered by features rather than just the features themselves.

* Using proof points, data, and examples to expose dishonest competitors.

* Real-world examples of combating competitors who misrepresent themselves.

* The reputational risks for companies that stretch the truth.

* Turning dishonest competition into an opportunity to gain trust and loyalty

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If you want to skip ahead:

(00:00) Welcome to Season Three!

(04:12) The Myth of Easy Feature Copying

(09:30) Why Competitors Appear to Copy You

(13:55) Handling Competitor Lies

(16:40) Focus on Value, Not Just Features

(19:20) Educate Buyers to Expose Competitor Lies

(22:10) Prove Your Claims with Data

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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

—

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

—

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 Media & Marketing: