segunda-feira, fevereiro 13, 2012

Especialistas versus generalistas (parte IV)

"wanting too much (Moi ici: Crescer, crescer, crescer, servir todos os tipos de clientes, ganhar escala. Recordar Alberto da Ponte) can be bad for your business. Well, here’s the flip side: Giving up something can be good for your business. (Moi ici: Escolher os clientes-alvo e concentrar toda a atenção neles em vez de desperdiçar recursos em guerras inúteis)
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Once upon a time, there was a company called Emery AirFreight. They were the biggest freight forwarders and their strategy was to offer overnight delivery, two-day delayed delivery, small-package delivery, and large-package delivery. (Whatever you want delivered, we’ll deliver it.) Then along came Federal Express. They sacrificed a lot of business and offered only small packages overnight. (Moi ici: Se deixassem de existir transportes públicos generalistas suportados pelo Estado e altamente deficitários, aposto que surgiriam transportes públicos especialistas, dedicados a segmentos de clientes-alvo, suportados por privados e lucrativos, uns mais e outros menos. Truque? Ser privado? Não, ser especialista!)
Their difference: overnight.
FedEx became a well-differentiated success. Emery went bankrupt.
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The more you add, the more you risk undermining your basic differentiating idea.
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Over the years, we’ve seen three different kinds of sacrifice that are required in the game of differentiation:

  • Product sacrifice: Staying focused on one kind of product is far superior to the everything-for-everyone approach (unless you use multiple brands):

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  • Attribute sacrifice: Staying focused on one kind of product attribute is superior to telling a multiple attribute story. It enables you to be different by taking ownership of a perceived benefit.

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  • Target market sacrifice: Staying focused on one target segment in a category enables you to be different by becoming the preferred product by the segment: ... When you chase after another target segment, chances are you’ll chase away your original customer.

Whatever you do, you should not get greedy but stay true to your product type, your attribute, or your segment. (Moi ici: Uma lição para quem, em tempo de crise vê a procura diminuir e tem a tentação de reduzir preços, de fazer mais coisas, de servir mais gente... talvez a solução passe por um redimensionamento e um re-foco num conjunto específico de clientes-alvo, produtos/serviços e atributos/experiências)
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In many cases, the sacrifice is found primarily in how you communicate or craft your message to the marketplace as to why you’re different. Once you capture those prospects, you’re free to sell them whatever."
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Trechos retirados de "Differentiate or die : survival in our era of killer competition" de Jack Trout, com Steve Rivkin.

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