product-positioning

Position products by starting from what customers would do without you — not from your features or aspirations. April Dunford's Obviously Awesome framework works because it's grounded in reality: what alternatives exist, what you do differently, and who cares most about that difference.

The Five Steps (In Order)

These steps are sequential. Do NOT skip ahead or rearrange.

1. Competitive Alternatives

What would your best customers do if you didn't exist? List real alternatives:

• Direct competitors
• Indirect solutions (spreadsheets, hiring someone, different tools)
• Do nothing

Be honest. If "do nothing" is the primary alternative, that tells you a lot about urgency.

2. Unique Attributes

What do you have that the alternatives don't? List concrete, verifiable capabilities — not marketing spin.

• "Real-time collaboration on specs" (verifiable)
• NOT "best-in-class experience" (unverifiable)