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

ANNOUNCEMENT - The new updated and expanded Obviously Awesome is coming!!! 🎉 🎉 

I've been sitting on this one for a while, so I'm SUPER EXCITED to get this out into the world!! 

Almost 7 years ago, I published Obviously Awesome, my attempt at describing the process I use to position B2B tech products and companies. I didn't expect many people to read it. I was wrong. 

Since then, more than 100,000 people have bought the book, and countless companies have used the process. A few hundred did that with me directly, and many, many more of you worked through the process on your own using the book. I've learned a LOT over the past 7 years, and I decided it was time to bring those learnings back to the book. 

The new edition is coming in FEBRUARY (don't ask me for a specific date - it's Amazon's world, we're just living in it). Here's what's new:

📙 5 STEPS (not 10) - In the first edition, I describe 5 components of positioning and a 10-step process for doing it. Some of you really hated that the number of steps in the process wasn’t equal to the number of components. The first few steps were pre-work, and the final steps are work that follows the exercise. I have repositioned those steps (see what I did there), and we now have 5 components and 5 steps. 

📙 The PRE-WORK section has been expanded to include key decisions a team should make before beginning a positioning exercise. This is based on my work with clients, and I think it will greatly improve any team’s chances of success when following this process.

📙 I have included sections that are more relevant to MULTIPRODUCT companies grappling with how to position their products in a company with multiple offerings. 

📙 Some steps in the process have been significantly expanded—particularly the Differentiated Value step. Most teams told me they got stuck there. I hope this new, improved section helps to clarify the concept.

📙 The final section, What Happens AFTER a Positioning Exercise, has been greatly expanded. This new section reflects my current thinking on how best to create a sales pitch to test positioning and then turn that positioning into messaging.

📙 For the first time, there will be a HARDCOVER edition. Most of you won't care, but I have seen some seriously well-loved (but also beat-up and scraggly) paperbacks at conferences, and I decided some of you need a copy that’s a little more durable!

🎙️ To go with the book, I'm reviving the Positioning PODCAST and will release a new series of episodes that dive into the book's new material. 
✍ The same goes for the NEWSLETTER (always the best way to follow my stuff). 

A new podcast episode and newsletter article drop TOMORROW - links in the comments.

You don't want to start any positioning work before making a key set of decisions

1️⃣ Is now the right time? 
Do we have enough customer experience to understand how prospects make decisions? Have we worked with enough customers to know - at least at a high level - what makes a good-fit customer different from a bad-fit customer? If the answer is no, we might want to develop a positioning thesis and tighten our positioning after we have closed more business.

2️⃣ Are we clear who this positioning is for? 
Positioning for customers is not the same as positioning for investors or employees. If we start working on positioning and half the team thinks we are building a sales pitch, the other half thinks we are building an investor pitch, very bad things will happen. 

3️⃣ What exactly are we positioning?  
Are we positioning the company, a product, or a group of products? The answer to this question might require deeper thinking about your go-to-market strategy. Getting a clear answer to this question will save you from having to debate this point mid-way through your positioning work.  

4️⃣ Which persona are you positioning for? Teams outside the sales team may not understand what a deal champion is and may be overly focused on positioning for other personas. When we talk about "value," we need to be clear about who perceives it. 

If you don't make these decisions up front, I can guarantee you will regret it. I've seen many teams rush into positioning work, only to stop midway to debate these points and backtrack to redo work they have already started. 

(I'm covering this topic in more detail in the newsletter and the podcast this week - links in comments)

I help YOU or YOUR team build authority to develop new business opportunities by providing comprehensive LinkedIn® training, coaching, and consulting. 
My process guarantees results by identifying, attracting, educating, engaging and nurturing relationships on LinkedIn®. Let's talk: +44(0)7976 894353

You are aware of the vast opportunities that can result from maximising your use of LinkedIn® but are unsure what to do next...

THAT'S WHERE I COME IN! ⬅️

🌶️  I deliver measurable, quantifiable results by helping you build a successful strategy for using LinkedIn® to its fullest extent to reach your goals.

🌶️  I blend customer insight, business strategy, and bespoke training to engage, educate, and motivate you and your team to measurably achieve one of your organisation’s most important goals - generating new business opportunities.

HERE'S WHAT I DO ⬅️

🌶️  I equip you to improve your authority and lead generation performance. 

With a 30+ year career in sales and digital marketing, having set up over 25 businesses, I educate individuals and teams to maximise their use of LinkedIn®, connecting people and a process to enable them to build trust, loyalty and advocacy, leading to business growth.

HERE'S HOW I DO IT ⬅️ 

🌶️  I take a high-level consultative approach to understand your business development challenges.

🌶️  I deliver training to show you how to leverage LinkedIn® to achieve your goals. This often includes Business Owners, Directors and Managers in Business Development, Marketing, Leadership Development, Consultants and HR.

🌶️  I deliver training that leads to a MEASURABLE  📈 success for YOU and YOUR team. 

🌶️  I combine over thirty years of experience in setting up, running, managing, and occasionally selling businesses to help you be successful.

➡️ Successful relationships are generated by building trust, one step at a time. ⬅️

Let’s meet over Zoom for an initial discussion. 

Email me at nigel @ valueexchange.co.uk or pick up the phone: ☏ +44(0)7976 894 353

To learn more, visit: 👉 https://www.valueexchange.co.uk

🚀  I have one simple aim - to help my clients achieve their goals! 🚀

My reputation relies on it! Please see my Recommendations for verification! ✅

I look forward to working with you. 🏆

Please note: My LinkedIn® consulting services are independent and not sponsored by the LinkedIn® Corporation. My tips and advice are based on my experiences and client successes on this platform.

I am the proud Chair of the Community Foundation for Calderdale (CFFC).

#LinkedInTraining #LinkedInStrategy #LinkedInConsultant

Nigel Cliffe

Some people have suggested one of my predictions for 2026 is unfounded, how dare they?!

“2️⃣ Video isn’t optional anymore”

https://lnkd.in/eQf7UqYz

It’s like it’s the fashionable thing to do – I get it – so jump on the bandwagon, eh, Nigel?

Well, no, actually.

My thanks to Joe Lander this morning for perfectly demonstrating why video IS becoming so important. It has more impact than images, it increases dwell time and is only going to get better!

Companies like https://www.dicapri.you/ are making it easier for everyone to take their first step.

This is just a bit of fun, but the next iterations are going to be fascinating, don’t you agree?

Helping You Master LinkedIn® Through 12+ Years of Real-World Experience | Trainer, Speaker, Coach & Mentor | Personal, Practical & Proven LinkedIn® Strategies That Drive Real Results | Chair of CFFC (Charity)

How to search better (OFF LinkedIn) 🚀

Right now, a lot of people are panicking about LinkedIn’s new Brew360 changes.

❌ Search is changing
❌ Reach is getting squeezed
❌ Some features have gone
❌ Others feel hidden behind “Premium + wishful thinking”

But here’s the thing.

I’m not worried. At all.

Because I’ve never relied on LinkedIn’s search options to do the heavy lifting for me!

I’ve always used Boolean search properly.

And I’ve always used Google to find what LinkedIn prefers to hide. 🫣

And guess what?

It still works. Beautifully. ✅

Boolean isn’t a geeky trick.

It’s a commercial skill.

Most people are clicking LinkedIn filters and wondering why nothing shows up.
Meanwhile, I’m slicing through LinkedIn data via Google:

✅ site:linkedin.com/in/
✅ AND, OR, NOT
✅ phrases, wildcards, parentheses
and more…

This works for CEOs, recruiters, founders, jobseekers, sales pros, and creators.
In short, anyone trying to find people, seeking insights, or looking for new opportunities.

Which is most of us.

I’ve packaged everything I know into this resource:

➡️ A structured 'How to Do Boolean Search' guide. ⬅️

Updated for 2026

Google vs LinkedIn, side by side

With examples, comparisons, and real-world use cases

🧐 TL;DR

🌶️ Don’t let Brew360 limit you. 

LinkedIn may be narrowing the doors, but Google is wide open.

Boolean still shines.

This is genuinely one of the most valuable resources I’ve shared on LinkedIn.

📌 Grab the PDF ⬇️

✅ Use it.
✅ Save it.
✅ Share it.

Ask questions. Share it with your team. 

Or don’t… and enjoy having an unfair advantage 😉

If this helped you even a little, let me know why in the comments. Thanks. 🙏🏻

#Search #BooleanSearch #LinkedInTips #Recruitment #Brew360

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The Battle

April Dunford

Nigel Cliffe

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

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Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreApril Dunford's LinkedIn Performance