Consumer products rarely shift positioning, where positioning shifts are expected and normal for B2B products. As a result, some of the key concepts related to positioning consumer products are completely irrelevant for B2B products. In my book Sales Pitch, I discussed the differences between the ways consumer and business products are purchased. Most consumer products are low-stakes purchases, bought by an individual making a choice that hasn’t been deeply researched. Business purchases, on the other hand, are frequently deeply researched and considered high-stakes purchases with a group of folks involved in the decision-making process.
Would you say this also applies to later stage start ups that have multiple products that are under the same solution? For example, multiple robot applications that solve for warehouse automation. Would each new robot application that we launch change our positioning?
Additionally, what about when add-on products get released? Can those products change positioning as well? I would love a newsletter or podcast ep focused on add-on products and cross selling and upselling.
Btw I love your content. It has helped me tremendously in my career. Purchased both your books and listened to every episode of your podcast. Looking forward to season 2!
The first example that popped to mind when reading this piece was ServiceNow and the way it repositioned itself a couple of times in the last handful of years.
Great sharing, I will find that if our product may be for an entire functional department such as the sales department, when we combine different modules of the product with different usage scenarios, we may attract details from different large departments. Different functions, such as sales training or sales operations, but will this cause confusion in positioning, especially when some functions are released at the same time.
Really appreciated reading this! What you've detailed is true of what naturally occured with my own B2B business (before reading your book and understanding what positioning is!). Obviously Awesome and Sales Pitch have been some of the most influential business books I have read. Thank you and keep up the great work, April!
Hi April - I have predominantly worked on B2C products and thanks for giving us valuable insights into positioning of the B2B products. As you have mentioned, positioning of the B2B products needs a different approach altogether and it also requires mindset shift too!
Very insightful! Very helpful. I love the commitment to regular checkins on positioning. So needed in B2B.
Great piece! Can't wait for S2 of the positioning show 🥳
Would you say this also applies to later stage start ups that have multiple products that are under the same solution? For example, multiple robot applications that solve for warehouse automation. Would each new robot application that we launch change our positioning?
Additionally, what about when add-on products get released? Can those products change positioning as well? I would love a newsletter or podcast ep focused on add-on products and cross selling and upselling.
Btw I love your content. It has helped me tremendously in my career. Purchased both your books and listened to every episode of your podcast. Looking forward to season 2!
The first example that popped to mind when reading this piece was ServiceNow and the way it repositioned itself a couple of times in the last handful of years.
Great sharing, I will find that if our product may be for an entire functional department such as the sales department, when we combine different modules of the product with different usage scenarios, we may attract details from different large departments. Different functions, such as sales training or sales operations, but will this cause confusion in positioning, especially when some functions are released at the same time.
How do you retain your positioning when there are many copy cat new entrants?
Really appreciated reading this! What you've detailed is true of what naturally occured with my own B2B business (before reading your book and understanding what positioning is!). Obviously Awesome and Sales Pitch have been some of the most influential business books I have read. Thank you and keep up the great work, April!
Excellent insights. B2B positioning needs fairly regular positioning tweaking.
Hi April - I have predominantly worked on B2C products and thanks for giving us valuable insights into positioning of the B2B products. As you have mentioned, positioning of the B2B products needs a different approach altogether and it also requires mindset shift too!
We just launched without a clear idea whether we are B2C or B2B at this stage. This certainly makes things clearer.