"Any damn fool can put on a deal, but it takes genius, faith, and perseverance to create a brand."-David Ogilvy
In today's ultra-competitive world, the average supermarket has 40,000 brand items on its shelves. Car shoppers can wander through the showrooms of over twenty automobile makers. ForContinue
"Any damn fool can put on a deal, but it takes genius, faith, and perseverance to create a brand."-David Ogilvy
In today's ultra-competitive world, the average supermarket has 40,000 brand items on its shelves. Car shoppers can wander through the showrooms of over twenty automobile makers. For marketers, differentiating products today is more challenging than at any time in history yet it remains at the heart of successful marketing. More importantly, it remains the key to a company's survival.
In Differentiate or Die, bestselling author Jack Trout doesn't beat around the bush. He takes marketers to task for taking the easy route too often, employing high-tech razzle-dazzle and sleight of hand when they should be working to discover and market their product's uniquely valuable qualities. He examines successful differentiation initiatives from giants like Dell Computer, Southwest Airlines, and Wal-Mart to smaller success stories like Streit's Matzoh and Connecticut's tiny Trinity College to determine why some marketers succeed at differentiating themselves while others struggle and fail.
More than just a collection of marketing success stories, however, Differentiate or Die is an in-depth exploration of today's most successful differentiation strategies. It explains what these strategies are, where and when they should be applied, and how they can help you carve out your own image in a crowded marketplace. Marketing executives in all types of organizations, regardless of size, can learn how to achieve product differentiation through strategies including:
* Revisiting the U.S.P.
Rosser Reeves's classic unique selling proposition approach, updated for today's marketplace
* Positioning
Understanding how the mind works in the differentiating process
* Owning an Idea
Techniques to seize a differentiating idea, dramatize it, and make it your own
* Competition
How to use differentiating ideas against your competitors in the marketplace
Consumers today are faced with an explosion of choices. In this environment, distinctive product attributes are quickly copied by competitors, perceived by consumers to be minimal, or both. Still, those who fail to differentiate their product or service in the mind of the consumer won't stand a chance.
Differentiate or Die outlines the many ways you can achieve differentiation. It also warns how difficult it is to achieve differentiation by being creative, cheap, customer oriented, or quality driven things that your competitors can do as well.
Praise for Differentiate or Die
"Another great book by the king of positioning!"-John Schnatter, CEO, Papa John's International
"Differentiate or Die differentiates itself on the groaning marketing bookshelf with its lucid prose, its clear vision of the future marketplace . . . and its sensible solutions for surviving the frenzied competition we're sure to find there."-Dan Rather, CBS News
"What I like about Differentiate or Die is the book's emphasis on the power of logic, simplicity, and clarity-getting to the essence of a problem. In Silicon Valley, attributes like that can make the difference between having lunch and being lunch."-Scott McNealy, CEO, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
"Trout and Rivkin marvelously illustrate that differentiation is the cornerstone of successful marketing." -Philip Kotler, S.C. Johnson Distinguished Professor of International Marketing,
Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University
"We've built our business by being first-and executing best. Jack Trout and Steve Rivkin are doing the same, delivering the timely, powerful insights that will drive tomorrow's marketing strategies. A must read for anyone looking to win in an unforgiving competitive marketplace."-Mike Ruettgers, CEO, EMC Corporation
"Dotcom executives must learn the lessons of Differentiate or Die. If they don't, I pity their investors."-Aaron Cohen, CEO, Concrete Media; Co-Founder, Bolt.com
wisdomgame said on Feb 15, 2010 about the Others edition | Add your feedback
(3)
Jonaschau 
IT’S ALL ABOUT PERCEPTIONS
In the mind of the consumer you must use a differentiating idea to market yourself or your product. To build your brand you must use a differentiating idea and that idea must be simple and built around differentiation.
WHAT’S “DIFFERENTIATION?”
Within our product ... (continue)
IT’S ALL ABOUT PERCEPTIONS
In the mind of the consumer you must use a differentiating idea to market yourself or your product. To build your brand you must use a differentiating idea and that idea must be simple and built around differentiation.
WHAT’S “DIFFERENTIATION?”
Within our product and service culture we are bombarded by endless choices . . . millions of similar products and services impinge with demands to “buy, buy!” There is an ever expanding sea of categories and they are constantly dividing so more and more choices present themselves. The only way a product can stand out is to show that it is different from the rest. This is differentiation and the author say you must be unique to be a success.
LACK OF DIFFERENTIATION IS GROWING
Because of the gigantic spread of products and product categories, the author, Trout, cites the work of Rosser Reeves who codified the term UPS – Unique Selling Proposition. To counteract this trend of poor advertising focus in a gigantic sea of choices, advertisers must return to these three principles;
UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION
• Each ad make a proposition to the customer.
• It must be a unique offer.
• It must move the listener/reader to action.
HOW TO BUILD A BRAND
I was very interested in this section . . . because I’m building my brand, Wisdomgame. Our logo is to Entertain, Educate, and Enlighten but our motto is “Serious Fun!”
Trout says the most important aspect of branding is differentiation -- being different in the perception of the consumer. That’s easy to understand. If there are a million choices, there must be some reason to pick certain products. They have to be special, or different in some way.
So I’m making my brand different. Wisdomgame is not just fun. We’re “Serious Fun!”
UPS UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION
He says “Since logic is a science, it’s logical that constructing a unique selling proposition should be a science, not an art. Here are the steps he gives;
1. Make sense in context. What you really want to get is a quick snapshot of the perceptions that exist in the mind (the general “Mind.”)
2. Find the Differentiating Idea. You have to be unique and one of a kind and find something that separates you from the competitors.
3. Have Credentials: Be able to demonstrate your product's difference.
4. Communicate your Difference. Change the perceptions of the consumer.
Bottom line: Since a real differentiating idea is also a real motivation tool, you can’t over-communicate your difference. The lesson is not to try and tell your total story. You just have to focus on one powerful differentiating idea and drive it into the mind. (The general Mind).
i.e. WISDOMGAME=SERIOUS FUN!
This book was a real eye opener to me and really helped me as I wade around the internet trying to figure out exactly what I am doing with Wisdomgame and Wisdomgame.tv. Look for our new videos on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwsiT179qv4
or go to Youtube. . . WisdomgameTV
It’s just an introduction, but it’s fun, “Serious Fun!”
This book is very deep and goes on to explain human motivation and the needs of business in the age of the transparent internet. I have only explained a small portion of “Differentiate or Die.” It’s full of very interesting examples from Mr. Trout’s extensive business knowledge and corporate experience as a marketer. I really enjoyed this book as it is written with a wry sense of humor. The depth of information is probably best suited to professionals, but if you’re interesting in the subject and if you take a little time to understand what he’s saying, your personal brand and your business brand will benefit greatly as you see the necessity of standing out by being unique. You must differentiate or die!
A fine book and very informative. I loved it. Five stars.
Stephen Philip Means Wisdomgame® and Wisdomgame.tv
Thanks for reading. http://wisdomgame.org
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