1. Be inventive enough to be first in a category or niche.

2. If you aren’t first, then set up a new category/niche that you can be first in.

3. You can’t change people’s minds once they are made up. Put your efforts elsewhere.

4. There are no “best” products or services. The perception is the reality. Work on perception.

5. Own “words.” FedEx owns the word “overnight”; Volvo owns “safety”.

6. Differentiate your product or company and pay attention to trends to keep it evolving.

7. Use your weaknesses to your advantage; being second best has worked for Avis.

8. Give up parts of the market that you “could” go for. Instead be strong somewhere versus weak everywhere.

9. Work internally to perfect your reputation. This pride/effort will attract business more than promotion.

10. Maintain a long-term demand for your product by never totally satisfying the demand.

 

Copyright 1996 Steve Straus. All rights reserved.