Differentiate or Die. Survival in Our Era of Killer Competition [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

Marketing guru Jack Trout has made a very handsome living by saying the same thing over and over for decades. "Be different" is the mantra that has run through books such as Marketing Warfare and the best selling Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. "Being different is at the heart of everything we've done for almost 30 years", he admits. Well he's at it again with Differentiate Or Die. But the strange thing is that every time he repeats his argument, it is truer and more relevant than the time before. With business now a global-free-for-all conducted at the speed of thought, with consumers deluged by a proliferation of choice, being different has become a necessary (if not sufficient) condition for corporate survival.

Trout makes the case with customary panache and his easy-reading opinionated style is both entertaining and informative. In the first third of the book he wades through a hate-list of things that are not differentiating ideas. Top of his "not" chart lies his bête noire, "quality and customer orientation". Reward schemes, better service and customer satisfaction are all dismissed with a casual side-swipe as either counterproductive or merely the basic minimum requirement of being in business. "You can indeed use this [service as a differentiator] as a strategy. But only if your competition is stupid enough to let you", carps Trout. The same goes for creativity--boy does he hate "creativity", price and "breadth of line". He then spends most of the rest of the book offering fertile ground upon which businesses can differentiate themselves. These include being first, attributing ownership, leadership, heritage, speciality, manufacture and topicality. Finally he concludes with an awful warning on the need to maintain absolute focus--your difference should be expressed in just one word--and the danger of growth, which is that it destroys differentiation.

Trout is contentious, provocative and almost certainly right in everything he says about the need for differentiation to lie at the heart of corporate strategy. Differentiate or Die is a must read for all non-marketers in business and a useful refresher for those who think they already know it. --Alex Benady -- Dieser Text bezieht sich auf eine vergriffene oder nicht verfügbare Ausgabe dieses Titels.

There are no two ways about it with Jack Trout. Either you've got a product or service that you can say is different, or you don't have much at all. In today's global marketplace and at its lightning-fast rate of change, there's no point in inventing and presenting a product only to sit back and hope that consumers everywhere will discover its greatness. It's not simply about what you or your product can do, it's about what you do differently from everyone else. Coauthors Trout and Steve Rivkin say it all in their no-holds-barred title, Differentiate or Die.

A disciple of the marketing guru Rosser Reeves, who introduced the concept of the "unique selling proposition," Trout relays his vision of what can help you differentiate in blunt, tell-it-like-it-is prose. First he breaks the bad news that product quality, advertising creativity, price advantage, and breadth of product line are rarely successful ways to differentiate your business. Consumers expect the best quality, he says; they don't think it's a bonus. In the same vein, your competitor can slash prices just as quickly as you. After dismissing these common marketing techniques as futile, Trout concentrates on which differentiating ideas will set you apart from the pack: Being first (and staying there), owning a discernible attribute, having a heritage, becoming the preference of a particular consumer group, or even being the most recent arrival in a product arena are just some of these useful differentiates. Though the book's fast and quippy narrative style may leave some readers looking for more substance behind his adamant assertions, Trout's recommendations act as inspirational spurts of energy. A slim manual packed with punchy points, Differentiate or Die won't take you long to read but could make a lasting--you guessed it--difference to the success of your business. --S. Ketchum -- Dieser Text bezieht sich auf eine vergriffene oder nicht verfügbare Ausgabe dieses Titels.

"..Is a simple and concise handbook filled with rich examples of successful differentiation strategies from across the globe." -- Dieser Text bezieht sich auf eine vergriffene oder nicht verfügbare Ausgabe dieses Titels.

Will ein Unternehmen heute am Markt überleben, so muss es in der Lage sein, seine Produkte und Dienstleistungen gegenüber denen der Konkurrenz entsprechend zu differenzieren. Denn heute ist es einfach, die oft nur minimalen Produktunterschiede ganz schnell zu kopieren. Marketing-Guru Jack Trout betont, dass Unternehmen häufig nicht in der Lage sind, das stärkste emotionale und ganz besondere Attribut zu erkennen, das sie auszeichnet. Dadurch entstehen Defizite bei der Umsetzung einer einheitlichen Unternehmensstrategie. Differenzierung darf man aber nicht mit Branding gleichsetzen - Differenzierung ist das Wesentliche, worum es beim Branding geht. Die Autoren untersuchen verschiedene Beispiele erfolgreicher Differenzierungsverfahren, die auf zentralen Ideen basieren, wie Tradition, Erbe, Marktführerschaft und als Erster die unbewussten Gefühle der Verbraucher erkennen. Dann erläutern sie, wie man die gewonnenen Informationen einsetzt, um erfolgreiche Produkte zu schaffen. "Differentiate or Die" ist ein verständlich geschriebener und unentbehrlicher Leitfaden für die Umsetzung dieser Ziele in die Praxis. Mit zahlreichen Fallbeispielen. Jetzt neu als Broschurausgabe!

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"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

"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

"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. -- Dieser Text bezieht sich auf eine vergriffene oder nicht verfügbare Ausgabe dieses Titels.

AN IN-DEPTH EXPLORATION OF TODAY'S MOST SUCCESSFUL DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES

"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.

"Another great book by the king of positioning!"-John Schnatter, CEO, Papa John's International

"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

JACK TROUT is President of Trout & Partners Ltd., one of the most prestigious marketing firms in the United States, with offices in 13 countries and a client list that includes AT&T, IBM, Merrill Lynch, Sears, and other Fortune 500 companies. Recognized as one of the influential gurus of marketing, Trout was the first to popularize the idea of "positioning" products and ideas in the minds of consumers. A sought-after speaker, he is the author of numerous marketing classics including the bestselling Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, and The Power of Simplicity. STEVE RIVKIN is coauthor of The New Positioning and The Power of Simplicity and head of a communications consulting firm whose clients include Kraft Foods, Olin Corp., and Horizon Health System. He is based in Glen Rock, New Jersey.