Tag: #Strategy
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Brand vs. Differentiation: The Real Key to Winning in B2B Markets
“When are you going to talk about branding?” We have had more than one participant ask us that during a break in one of our Grassroots Strategy Workshops. Their observation is based on the fact that we are discussing “Strategic Marketing” and yet do not have a session that speaks…
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An Unexpected Lesson in Change Management
If you were raised even modestly Christian, or know a little about art history, you probably recognize this image as a depiction of the Last Supper. However, if you look closely, you notice something unexpected – amidst the familiar wine and bread, in the center of the table, is a…
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Watt’s New? The Product AND The Business Model
The first sentence in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s publication, “Electricity Explained” is, “Electricity is measured in units of measure called Watts, named to honor James Watt, the inventor of the steam engine”. Once again, we find ourselves having to dispel a myth. The truth is that James Watt did…
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Enter the Matrix…the Ansoff Matrix
Identifying a winning growth strategy for your business can be one of the most difficult and often contentious activities you undertake. The allure of chasing that new “high growth” market is strong. On the other hand, the inertia to “stay the course” can feel comfortable to many. Finding a way…
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Bottom-up is Not Enough
We are on record as strong believers that the best strategies start bottom-up – in fact, we called our book “Grassroots Strategy” for that reason. Our experience is that the best ideas come from the front lines, the people who work day-to-day with customers and/or technologies and can see creative…
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Bringing Your Strategy to Life
Many years ago we worked for a client in the commercial waste management business – they hauled garbage from commercial businesses and construction sites. We were called in because, despite having spent a large sum with a top-tier consulting firm for their strategy, they were stuck on how to implement…
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Make Sure You Don’t End Up With a “Paper Strategy”
The last two years have been pretty crazy. Whether your business has been doing well or badly in this environment, much of the last two years have probably felt a lot like crisis management. Starting with the new year in 2022, it’s a good idea to refocus your efforts on…
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A Winning Value Proposition Has to Be More Than Just a Slogan
Not long ago, we had a client that sold hospital equipment. A recent acquisition had broadened their product line and they asked us for some help with the strategy for the new portfolio. We started with an overview of our process, and when we got to the concept of value…
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Five Pointers to Avoid Being Stuck in a Segment
Grassroots Strategy is a powerful conceptual framework, it changes how many of our clients think and leads to exciting new ways for them to conceptualize their businesses. After having worked with our client teams to crack the code in applying key concepts like differentiation, customer value and market segmentation, it…
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What can The Rolling Stones teach us about Voice of the Customer?
In a probably slightly twisted sort of way I often think of the Rolling Stones song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” when I think about Voice of the Customer or VOC. It is almost a universal truth that if you ask customers what they want, they will respond…
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Don’t Wait for the Perfect Mission and Vision Statement to Create a Strategy
We often talk with companies who are waiting to work on their strategy because they are reworking their mission and vision statements. There are key differences between mission, vision and strategy and it is essential they all fit together to drive impact. Successful companies connect these three pieces together to…
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Do you Prefer Superhero Strategy Lessons from DC Comics or Marvel?
When we were kids (yes, we had cars and televisions back then), there was no doubt that the DC universe of superheroes was cooler than the Marvel Universe. DC had Batman and Superman, the two coolest crimefighters, plus we had the Justice League cartoons on Saturday mornings and Lynda Carter’s…
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Don’t Fall in Love With Last Decade’s Business Model
The Pygmalion Trap The Greek myth of Pygmalion, the sculptor who falls in love with the statue he creates, is one of the most enduring stories of all time. The tale shows up in the works of Ovid, the Roman poet who lived in the time of Caesar Augustus. In…
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Is a Semi-Custom Business Model the Right Fit For You?
A man in a well-tailored suit will always shine brighter than a guy in an off-the-rack suit. – Michael Kors Mr. Kors may be right, there is nothing quite like a real custom-tailored suit. But it has also been one of life’s luxuries reserved for the fortunate few – a…
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In search of …… silver bullet strategy
Too often, companies believe that the purpose of strategic planning is to find some magical ‘silver bullet’ that will solve all their problems and guarantee a path to profitable growth. A frustrating conversation with a client we had a few years ago comes to mind: Amphora: What do you think…
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Can you make the headache of budgeting a thing of the past?
It’s that time of year again – no, we are not referring to the holiday displays starting to appear in stores which seems to happen earlier each year as the holiday season gets longer. We are referring to the equally long season of budgeting that is ongoing for many of…
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Market Segmentation – How to Get it Right
We continue to believe that done well, market segmentation is not just a critical marketing tool, but can be the defining element of your overall strategy. In our previous blog post, we shared of the most common difficulties in getting to a workable needs-based segmentation. So what can you do…
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Market Segmentation – Why is it so Difficult?
In our Grassroots Strategy workshops with clients, the highlight of the week is often market segmentation. Done well, it is one of the most important changes in the way you think about your business and customers – the customers you choose to serve and how you serve them impacts both…
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Leadership Now and in the New Normal
Decision making in times of unusual uncertainty is one of the greatest, perhaps the single greatest, challenges of leadership. Navigating the current COVID-19 crisis and crafting appropriate responses has been a challenge for leaders around the world. And whatever happens, we are likely to have years of second-guessing as to…
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Are You Ready to Come out on Offense?
With all the major sports leagues shut down, perhaps it is more important than ever that we keep alive that grand American business tradition – the sports analogy. So here it goes: boxer Mike Tyson once said “Everyone has a plan ’til they get punched in the mouth.” At this…
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What do Innovation, Rock and Defense Tech have in Common?
What do Rock ‘n’ Roll, innovation and defense technology have in common? If you’ve heard this story, you probably have a guess. If not, it might surprise you to find the answer is one person: Skunk Baxter.
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Who Should Own Pricing in Your Organization?
Pricing is one of the most important levers your organization has, therefore pricing decisions are some of the most important it will make. Set the price too high, and you won’t sell anything. Worse yet, set the price too low and you are leaving money on the table. That leads…