Book Review: Is your product "Obviously Awesome."?

This week's book is recommended by reader Simon Chappuzeau in S.Africa.

What You Will Learn from This Book
Obviously Awesome by April Dunford

This book is a practical guide to product positioning—how to make sure your target audience actually understands what your product is, why it matters, and why they should care. Dunford argues that positioning isn’t marketing fluff; it’s foundational to how products succeed or fail.

What Positioning Really Means

Dunford breaks positioning down into five clear components:

🔧 1. Competitive Alternatives

Ask: What would customers use if your product didn’t exist?
→ This helps define your real competition and the status quo you’re up against.

🌟 2. Unique Attributes

Ask: What features, capabilities, or approaches make your product different from those alternatives?
→ These are the unique parts of your solution.

💥 3. Value (and Proof)

Ask: Why do those differences matter to the customer?
→ Translate features into clear benefits that solve real problems.

🎯 4. Customer Segmentation

Ask: Who cares the most about that value?
→ Narrow in on your best-fit customers—those most likely to “get it.”

🧭 5. Market Frame of Reference

Ask: What kind of product is this? What context makes its value easiest to understand?
→ Choose a category that makes your product’s strengths instantly click for your audience.

Why Most Companies Get It Wrong

Many businesses don’t intentionally choose their positioning. Instead, it’s assumed based on the founder’s background or early customers. This often leads to mismatches between what the product is and how it’s perceived.

Positioning as a Strategic Tool

Done right, positioning drives marketing, sales messaging, product decisions, and even pricing. It’s not a one-time task—it evolves as your product and market shift.

The Hard Part

This is all pretty much common sense. The hard part is being brave enough to ask customers about your product, and quite possibly changing how you position the product. April has a Workbook which you can download from her site.

It's so obvious, it's awesome.

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