“Once you cement your position at the top of your category, it becomes much easier to defend. The stability of brand positions in nearly all markets is simply mindblowing.”

This post by Peep Laja complements the post I’ve recently shared about segmentation when a market-category is the mainstream: www.linkedin.com/posts/jos…

Segmentation + Differentiation = Market-Leadership.

To beat the competition in a mainstream phase (post-early-market), we want to position our product+business as a market-leader ASAP.

As Peep suggests, creating a new market category or subcategory is a powerful play.

However

Creating a category needs a ton of education, communication, and market influencing efforts.

A study mentioned in Play Bigger book states that “it takes on average six to ten years for a category to be effectively created.”

Not that much if you create a SUBcategory. The education, influencing, and communication efforts are way less.

The other option mentioned in my recent post is to segment and/or focus your value proposition+positioning in a use case/application/Job-To-Be-Done.

Whatever strategic option you develop, market-leadership brand positioning is one of the most endurable moats you can build.

Have a tech product/service? This is for you.

The new Ford Mach-e is eating into Tesla’s US sales.

Surprise? I don’t think so.

Ford is better positioned to build a market-leadership position into this category segment.

Why?

1.Mass-adoption comes with the mainstream, not the early-market. Tesla is an excellent brand/car for early-adopters.

2.Ford, with lower risk perception, relies on stronger intangibles than Tesla: retail network, car manufacturer history, repair points…

Contrary to popular thinking, mass sales in tech products/services are NOT about better/more features in your core tangible product.

To grow sustainably + exponentially with your product or service…

…look beyond your early-adopters

…focus on core intangible features to achieve mass-adoption

…focus on a vertical product, instead of horizontal.

XaaS works the same way.

All tech product adoption works the same way.

More features and tangibles will make you better for early-adopters.

More intangibles will help you achieve sustainable and exponential growth.

What intangibles and how are you building to achieve mass sales? Have a look at the image for clues!

#innovation #growth #sales #strategy #marketing #tech #saas

Last week, I was looking for a live session tool for a Bootcamp I’m building with Warren Schirtzinger on new product success.

I considered the virtual events tools market-category.

65% of companies use virtual event tools in the USA. This category is in the late-majority. COVID played a vast role pushing adoption.

In virtualmojito.com by Felix Wong there are 73 tools in the virtual event landscape.

Airmeet caught my eye. They have a specific web section for Education.

I reviewed more tools. None of them had this vertical specialization.

There was no more competition for me.

✅ When a category is in the mainstream, the best way to stand out from the competition is to position your product in a segment.

✅ Positioining your product in a segment or use case, eliminates competitors from your buyer’s head.

Last Friday, I was with Iñaki Bilbao Estrada and José Luis Roig Azpitarte. I told them about this product because they are in the education industry.

They are willing to test it.

✅ Word-of-Mouth happens with segmentation when in the mainstream. And it’s the most powerful and cheapest customer acquisition source.

How are you focusing your product strategy + boosting WOM?

And if you need help to accelerate your product’s market acceptance and revenue, let’s talk at Predictable Innovation

#strategy #innovation #marketing