Different? Marketable? Sustainable?

What makes you different? Lately I've been growing businesses using Blue Ocean Strategies, the revolutionary process presented in the national bestseller Blue Ocean Strategy. Written by two Harvard professors, Kim and Mauborgne, this book gets my vote for the marketing/business book of the century. Business is the art of executing differentiation in a manner that is financially sustainable. Anyone can tell a story about being 'different' and 'unique' but the proof is in the pudding; do clients vote with their dollars, their engagement, time?  I'll use the chicks above to make my point. (oops Biznik doesn't input images; go to <a href="http://www.pamhoelzle.typepad.com">www.pamhoelzle.typepad.com</a> and look at image of group of dark just hatched chicks with a yellow chick in their midst) Now, if you didn't go see the picture, just imagine being the only yellow chick in a hen full of just hatched dark brown chicks; this chick has difference encoded into her. Her DNA is unique; she can't, not be different. Her difference is not 'brand' 'spin' or 'story' rather good ole fashion integrity: It's who she is.  Now, imagine being one of the dark chickens. You just want to be different, but you aren't so you decide to do something that makes you  'different.'  In a jam, you borrow a leaf and wear it as a sarong. Sure, now your different from the other dark chickens; not as diffferent as ms.yellow feathers mind you,  but the problem is, your difference is not integral, your 'difference' keeps slipping and after a fairly serious session in the hen house you can't even find that darn sarong.... How you dress up a business is not differentiation.  Now imagine your one of the brunette chicks and lucky you you hatched with yellow wings and beak; now that's unique! You can't take your beak off at night, its not a 'story' or just good ward-robing its your recipe, your DNA you show up different time and time again. Consistent differentiation that is encoded into the business recipe, the model is differentiation. Then there's the brunette chick that looks like all the rest of the pack but she has superior foot speed. She decides this is her claim to fame, her differentiation strategy; the way she attracts mates and gets enough food! Who knows it may be different- it may not be - is it sustainable? Being the best on certain competitive elements is certainly differentiation the question is; does the target client value this element; foot speed and will they vote with their time and dollars..proposals and seed? Integrity matters. Imagine each of these chicks as separate, unique businesses each with their own; yellow, dark with yellow beak and wings, dark with leaf sarong or brunette: business models. True differentiation is designed into the business model; the recipe of the business. Your business model is either different or it's not and if it ain't' different it's not sustainable; you better at least look for a leaf...quick or change pens and go hang out with the zebra's- now your different- question is are you different where it counts? Do you provide an innovative difference of high value? The key to making the competition irrelevant according to Kim and Marborough  is to create a recipe that provides the highest level of 'value innovation.' Value Innovation is the key to differentiation, marketability and sustainability in business. Being different, is not enough you must be different on innovative elements and offer them to your target at a value.  After reading and practicing the art of blue ocean strategies with 20 or so teams I am still a student of blue ocean strategies but one thing I know for sure; differentiation is not optional; You must be different to grow and you must be different where it counts...and the client must believe its a good value.  If my business provides something innovative that meets my target clients wants and needs and I do it in a different way at a price that is lower than my clients expected I've found true value innovation. I will grow if I execute value innovation; Differentiation. Sustainable. Marketable. Are you innovatively different? Or just different? Are you different in the areas that clients value? Are you providing your differentiated solutions to clients at a price that's lower than they expect to pay for this innovation? Differentiation = Business Growth; done right. 2008-12-13T22:31:17Z

2008-12-15T06:51:18Z

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different-marketable-sustainable

2008-12-15T06:44:21Z

To grow in today's economic climate it's not enough to have a brand...or to tell a good story...you must offer value innovation; Differentiation. Marketability and Sustainabilty these are the keys to business growth.