Se pensar em alargar o âmbito dos clientes-alvo, cuidado...

Um excelente texto "Red Lobster and the Brand Envy Dilemma", que podia servir de pontapé de saída para uma reflexão estratégica em muitas empresas.
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Uma empresa nova aparece no mercado e oferece uma proposta de valor clara para um certo tipo de clientes-alvo:

"Red Lobster got its start bringing fresh seafood to landlocked parts of the US. It developed an outstanding supply chain for fish and became a dining out routine for millions of Americans, especially on its famous “endless shrimp” days."

Ao sucesso inicial segue-se o crescimento, depois, ao fim de algum tempo, começam as cópias e perde-se a vantagem competitiva:

"But in recent years, as cold chains became more prevalent, almost all restaurants now serve fish, and Red Lobster’s comparative advantage has dwindled."

Então, muda-se de gerência e procura-se uma nova orientação estratégica:

"In response, Red Lobster undertook a renovation of its restaurants and of its brand. Now there is a “fresh” menu and a grill master standing ready to cook to order. The gleaming wood and softer lighting is designed to attract “experientials”: people looking for a fun night out, rather than an opportunity to stock up on affordable protein""

É quase sempre assim, há um padrão:

"Successful retail concepts always peak at some point. They saturate their market, expand to all possible geographies, watch copycats invade their space. Then what? Like Red Lobster they often get brand envy: if only we could get some better customers while not alienating our existing customers. The problem is as old as infidelity, with similar results. You can be satisfied with what you have, or switch (with unpredictable results), but you can rarely have both."

E este é um dos problemas do crescimento rápido, um dos riscos do calçado português passa por aqui, também, querer ir a todas, querer servir toda a gente, aumentar o volume... e perder a vantagem competitiva e diluir-se sem a noção de quem são os clientes-alvo:

"The value of a brand is twofold: it communicates about the product offering: the category (shoes), quality (middling), service (none), price (affordable), but in addition it also stands for the target market it serves. “What to Whom” as I call it. It’s easier to change the “what” than it is to change the “whom”. Revamping the stores, changing the prices, advertising during the Super Bowl, all it takes is money and commitment. But the point of a brand is to create an indelible image in the minds of consumers of what you stand for. To change it is to throw it away. The traditional Red Lobster customer arrives with her family of five for endless shrimp only to discover a fancy fresh fish menu and soft lighting. The new target market of experiential thirty-year-olds get to sit next to a disgruntled family of five."

Portanto, da próxima vez que na sua empresa se pensar em alargar o âmbito dos clientes-alvo, talvez seja de pensar nisto:

"So what’s to be done if you have brand envy? Step one is to put those thoughts on hold and think more about how to serve your existing customers as well as possible within the bounds of profitability. Step two is to ask if there is a way to attract the more profitable customers without detracting from the experience of the existing customers. If step two is not possible, maybe you need a new brand, not a stretched one."