There is a rich history and in some respects a cult following on the fundamentals of Market Warfare, as it applies to business.
There are many definitions of Market Warfare, however for the purpose of this article - let's simply define it, as applying Military Strategy and tactics to business situations.
We are products and strong supporters of several of the early-stage, mavericks that introduced these fundamentals and advocated their role and fit in the business environment.
Their simple proposition was that Business is War and that success and survival are partially dependent on understanding and mastering Market Warfare fundamentals.
It's interesting to note that in today's tough-as-nails, market economy - many firms have either overlooked or forgotten these time-tested, critical approaches.
In fact, they have more of a place and fit today than any other period that we have seen in the last few decades.
Competition has been described, as relentless, brutal and the Market is now viewed, as a Jungle - no matter what segment of the market your firm is engaged in.
We have invested two plus decades in advancing these approaches and have targeted business areas somewhat differently than traditional roots, which concentrated on Advertising, PR/Communications and Promotions - with an emphasis on competitive positioning.
Key areas, however our translation and expertise focused on: Vertical Industry/New Market Development, Competitive Attack Campaigns, Product Launch Campaigns, Opportunity Base/Target Account Development, Channel Partner, Strategic Alliance and Distribution Network effectiveness and stimulation.
This includes creating the Market Warfare mindset and providing a practical framework that shows how to apply this to different areas of business.
These areas are where the "rubber hits the road" and are closely aligned with creating and generating tangible results desired by most firms.
We will dispense in this article with reviewing the fundamentals - for the most part, one can pick them up by visiting the Wiki or tapping your favorite search engine.
Rather - let's show some practical, examples based on real-world, client programs: 1) Mission Possible - an example of flanking the competition.
After conducting front-end, research our client became aware that the Market Leader was repositioning their business and targeting a new, growth market opportunity.
The Market Leader would be stealthy in repositioning itself, however the result was that they would leave an installed base "high and dry" over time.
Our client geared-up to take advantage of this dynamic, which translated to the Market Leader being "vulnerable" to an Attack Campaign, deemed Mission Possible.
Timeliness and quick action were critical.
Our client introduced a campaign with roughly a one-year, life that was waged worldwide in-scope with its direct sales/support team and 3rd Party Channel Partners.
The installed customer base was not only rich with "replacement" opportunity at the Market Leader's expense - it was also a fertile ground for our client's full suite of products and services.
The program elements consisted of: Tactical Guide/Playbook (a full implementation plan), Pre-qualified leads (derived from competitive intelligence), Direct-response program (utilizing sound techniques), Competitive Analyses (based on hard-hitting facts not conjecture), a Conversion Package (that made the transition from the Market Leader to our client painless from a technical and financial standpoint), Incentives to drive the program participants - Sales and 3rd Party Channel Partners to embrace and drive the campaign and an effective, Competitive Positioning Workshop (training vehicle) that put it all together.
The Program was an area of focus, within our client's organization and the high-point for the fiscal year, in terms of, generating new sources of business.
The program generated roughly, $4.
6 million of new business in the first phase and the Market Leader literally never knew what hit them.
The prospective audience valued our client, as a savior that provided them continued commitment to the market and a clear migration path.
2) Defend Thyself (or get crushed) - one of our clients acquired a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) business and active, installed base from another well-established, leader in the field.
During the transition phase, our client became aware in specific, regional markets - that it was vulnerable to local competitors that would attempt an "unhook strategy," while our client was struggling to get its arms around this newly, acquired base.
Our client introduced a program - putting emphasis on Customer Recognition - to retain the installed base.
The program consisted of: an incentive program that provided added-value, software and extended maintenance/support to active users (at no additional charge) - this actually overshadowed anything that was previously introduced in this market segment, improved local account management (strengthening the relationship with the target users), and a Customer Recognition Certificate (that was redeemable in the first year of service for training and other services provided by the client company).
Within the first year, the client retained 95%+ of the installed base with little disruption.
The installed base valued the demonstration made by the client company, which clearly communicated its importance and unquestionable commitment.
This program also shows that a campaign does not have to cost millions of dollars to generate results.
We classify this type of program, as "little golden nuggets that deliver big results.
" 3) Outmaneuvering the Competition - our client knowingly entered the market late, although there were "lessons learned" by carefully watching the experiences of the other suppliers - which we affectionately called "the Competitive Wolf Pack.
" These suppliers put emphasis on their own capabilities and attempted to "go it alone.
" Although they built a reasonable revenue base and customer following, they only scratched the surface of opportunity.
Our client approached the market challenge differently - with an emphasis on Partnership and Alliances.
It created a powerful team consisting of a noted, Computer Platform supplier, an added-value, software solutions supplier and a high-level, Strategic Consulting firm (that had visibility and relationship with Senior Management in selected, target accounts).
Not only was this a strong example of leveraging Partners, it also became a unique distribution channel.
One that outpointed and outmaneuvered the range of competitors that played in this solutions systems space.
Within four years, our client dominated the scene and became the "game that set the standards.
" A little ingenuity goes a long way.
There are many examples of putting basic, Market Warfare approaches and techniques to work.
This is just a few examples.
They are not goof-proof, however if you do your homework and the basis of the program is well-grounded, Market Warfare will deliver results.
Particularly in today's Market Jungle - most firms are struggling to find an edge that will fuel their continued success.
Are you ready to put Market Warfare to work in your firm?