April Dunford on product positioning, segmentation, and optimizing your sales process
with April Dunford · Jun 2022
Most teams ask 'why does everyone love our stuff?' which yields opinions, not differentiation. Instead, begin by identifying what you must beat to win: the status quo (spreadsheets, pen and paper, interns) and the short list of alternatives. Only then can you identify capabilities that actually matter.
Related
Ideas from across Lenny's archive that connect to this one
Where Great Product Roadmap Ideas Come From
Jun 2019Don't assume competitors' product decisions reflect strategic insight. Copying what competitors do is listed as a rare source of great ideas because they may be following trends, reacting to pressure, or simply guessing—not executing a masterplan you should replicate.
April Dunford on product positioning, segmentation, and optimizing your sales process
Jun 2022You can't just claim you're 'better.' Better for a small company means simplicity and speed to value. Better for an enterprise means customization and bells and whistles. Your positioning must articulate why you're the best solution specifically for your target customer type.
This Week #0: Advice on growth, product, and leadership
Sep 2019You can differentiate across 20+ dimensions—price, quality, experience, trust, tribe, story—or you can choose not to differentiate significantly and win by scaling faster. The best companies combine multiple dimensions, but some winners succeed purely through execution velocity.
The Power of Performance Reviews: Use This System to Become a Better Manager 🤝
Jul 2019An individual will have just as much impact (if not more) on an organization if they flex what they are really good at, instead of just trying to improve on areas they're struggling with. Research shows focusing on strengths is much more effective than obsessing over weaknesses.
Gokul Rajaram on designing your product development process, when and how to hire your first PM, a playbook for hiring leaders, getting ahead in you career, how to get started angel investing, more
Jun 2022The biggest pitfall is founders becoming too tactical and dictating features instead of presenting problems. Present the goal—'increase weekly usage from 2x to 5x'—and let the team brainstorm solutions. This creates ownership and prevents the feature factory trap.
Import your highlights, and we'll find the connections you've been missing.