Much Ado About No-Bling: Veteran Business Mistakes

Posted: October 5, 2011 | Author: Seth Mueller | Filed under: Branding, Competitive Strategy, Marketing | Tags: Blue Ocean Strategy, Branding, Business, Chick-Fil-A, Chief executive officer, Competitive strategy, Marketing, Michael Porter, Red ocean |1 Comment

Shakespeare had it right when naming one of his greatest comedies. Let’s be honest, we human beings make big work out of the small things in life. The business world is no different.

Companies are out in the market — making sales, fighting the competition. They’re playing by the unspoken rules of marketing. Kim and Mauborne, authors of bestseller Blue Ocean Strategy, call this behavior unwelcome, referring to it as swimming in a “red ocean”. Unfortunately, a red ocean mindset is what Porter-ology is all about — competitive strategy.

Business owners and CEOs are mistakenly taking Porter’s ideas and doing much about nothing, fighting for the same market space. “Our burgers are square!” “Our burgers are 100% beef!” Where is the bling, the pizazz?

Then along came the Chicken, and turned the burger-joint business upside down.

If we want to succeed long-term, we must choose to separate ourselves from the bloody battle grounds and brandish our shiny new wares on a clean street. Add value. Add class. Cut through the clutter. Find a competitive advantage and make it known to those who will pay for it. It’s the difference between being worthy of note, or actually being noted.

Don’t just be memorable, be remembered.

Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you!

You can also contact me directly via this page.

If you liked the article, show me some love and share it with your peers however you like to share content (common sharing buttons are provided below).