Creating A Competitive Edge

Companies are forever in search of a defensible competitive advantage, one that cannot be replicated or substituted. . While strategists at most companies are visionaries, without the viewpoint of the customer they typically cannot understand how they stack up or what will truly set them apart.

Understand what is important to your customers

You can be very different from your competitors, but if those differences are in areas that are not important, you're just different – not better. Effective competitive advantage begins with understanding your customers and what drives them.

An accurate view of your performance

It is common for companies to overestimate their own performance. Unfortunately this can lead them to under-invest in areas that really matter to customers.

An accurate view of your competitors

It is just as common for companies to underestimate competitors. What really matters is what customers and prospects think.

Invest intelligently

Once you harness customer insights, it's pretty simple – invest in areas that are important to your customers and let competitors invest in areas that are not. Spend intelligently in areas that will make a difference.