Cross-category copying is where you copy elements of the branding of other brands with similar value offerings – providing they are in totally different categories.

For the first few years of their existence Airbnb was a product without a strategy. They knew what they sold and they knew people liked it, but they didn’t quite know why people liked it – and so had no way of knowing how to forge a path forward in the market. Was the product popular because it was cheaper than hotels? Was their offering an economy

Remember, only strategies which your competitors might choose not to do are legitimate. Strategies which everyone would agree with, and which everyone would be keen to pursue, are illegitimate.

For the first few years of their existence Airbnb was a product without a strategy. They knew what they sold and they knew people liked it, but they didn’t quite know why people liked it – and so had no way of knowing how to forge a path forward in the market. Was the product popular because it was cheaper than hotels? Was their offering an economy

Reason 1 – Subjective language isn’t specific or directional The job of a strategy is to tell you what to do. To give you an actionable plan. Subjective words like this don’t do that – instead they simply state the desired reaction to what you do. Both the Ritz and your local B&B might offer “outstanding service”, but clearly they are wildly di

As anyone who’s worked in the creative industries knows, good ideas arise from a tight brief, not total creative freedom. And unfortunately the traditional definition of strategy is the loosest brief you’re ever likely to come across.

I often refer to this idea as “The Dolly Principle” in honour of Dolly Parton, who summed it up with the phrase: “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” There is so much strategic wisdom in this phrase. More than I’ve ever read in a strategy textbook, I can tell you that. Notice what she said here. She didn’t say, “Decide who you want to be, a

Our definition of strategy From here on out, whenever we talk about strategy in this book, we’re going to be talking about this: The unique value a business provides to the market. That’s it. This is business in its purest, truest form. When all is said and done, a business is nothing more than a system designed to deliver value and receive value i

a little maxim coined by Srinivas Rao I want you to remember which will serve you well: Only is better than best. No matter how much better you think you are than the other brands around you, it’s nothing in comparison to being the only brand who does what you do.