В. одном. From my previous posts, I’ve mentioned that copying is not worth it—you’ll always be behind the leader. But is it necessary to try to overtake?
The standard approach requires that you be better than your competitors. You need to catch up and surpass them. If a product released by competitors has five features, then you should have six (or sixteen or sixty-six). If they spent $20,000, then you should spend $30,000. If they have 50 employees, then you should have a hundred.
This “catch up and surpass” approach is a typical style of the Cold War, which, as we know from historical examples, leads to a dead end. If you find yourself caught up in an arms race, you will go bankrupt in this endless battle that will cost you unimaginable resources, time, and energy. And importantly, this approach forces you to be in a defensive position—always trying to catch up. The defender has no chance of victory, as they are not on the offensive. The defender does not think about what lies ahead; they think about what is behind. They do not lead. They follow.
So what should you do then? Do less than your competitors to beat them. Solve simple problems and leave the heavy, unpleasant, and daunting ones to your competitors. Instead of trying to catch up, consider falling behind. Instead of jumping over, try diving under.
The bicycle market is a great example of this. For years, the main bicycle manufacturers focused on the latest technological advancements: mountain bikes with suspension, efficient disc brakes, or ultra-light titanium road bikes with carbon fiber everything. It was also believed that such bikes should have multiple gears: three, ten, or even twenty-one.
However, recently, bicycles without gear systems have become very popular, even though they may not seem as high-tech as they could be. These bikes have only one gear. Some models do not have hand brakes. The advantages are that they are simpler, lighter, cheaper, and require minimal maintenance.
Another great example of something you can dive into rather than jump over is the iPad. This ultra-simple tablet computer is already sold out, as the entire production run has been snapped up. Take a look at the list of things you can’t find in the iPad:
- WiMax.
- Camera
- USB.
- 3G, EDGE, GSM
- GPS.
- A screen better than 1024 x 768.
- Flash support
- “A decent operating system”
- Finally, the stands.
Nevertheless, the iPad sells better than its more advanced competitors. It sells better because it does a few things, but it does them easily and well. Using it is enjoyable. You can use it in a way that…technicallyIt is impossible to use other more functional tablets.
Don’t be shy about the fact that your product or service offers less. Emphasize it. Take pride in it. Sell it as aggressively as your competitors sell their enhanced features.
Recently, I met with a local internet provider. Unlike their competitors, they are technically unable to offer their clients IP-TV. I suggested they shouldn’t be shy about it and, on the contrary, aggressively market this seemingly disadvantage. Something like, “We’re not a mindless TV!”