LaunchPod | Product Management Podcast

April Dunford’s 1 Killer Question to Expose Weak AI Product Positioning

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This week, we’re joined by the undisputed queen of B2B positioning, April Dunford.

April is the best-selling author of the seminal book "Obviously Awesome" and the new hit "Sales Pitch." She has spent 25 years as a startup executive and consultant helping companies stop guessing and start winning. If you have ever struggled to explain exactly why customers should pick you over the other guy, this episode is a masterclass.

In this episode, April talks about:

  • Why Positioning is a Product Problem: How undefined positioning leads to wasted roadmaps, "not good enough" feedback from Sales, and engineering teams burning out on features that don't win deals.
  • The "AI Washing" Trap: Why saying "We have AI" is no longer a strategy—and how to articulate the specific value your tech unlocks that the competition can’t.
  • Why she loves when competitors lie: How to ethically trap competitors who over-promise features (and the one question sales should tell your prospects to ask them).
  • And finally, Vision vs. Reality: How to sell the "glorious future" without losing the deal you need to close today.
    • Links

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/

    April's website: https://www.aprildunford.com/
    April's books: https://www.aprildunford.com/books

    Chapters

    00:00: Introduction

    01:45: April's journey from engineering to marketing to product positioning expert
    05:00: The shifting lansscape: Position from COVID to the AI era
    10:45: Moving beyond "AI washing" to find differentiated value
    15:30: Defining your true competitive landscape
    20:30: How to be worth your customers' migration risk
    23:45: Why April likes when competitors "lie" about their capabilities and features
    32:00: Why positioning is critical for product and engineering alignment
    35:00: April's new book details

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    Special Guest: April Dunford.

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