Why Zig When You Can Zag?

What do apple and Mini Cooper have in common? 

They both "zag".

In a world full of copycats and generic brands, the only thing that separates you from the "clutter" is your Zag.

If you haven’t already heard about "The Brand Gap" author Marty Neumeier’s new book "Zag" I suggest you pick up a copy.  It’s basically a book about the widely known marketing principle "differentiation", but takes it to a new level that he calls "radical differentiation".

Here’s an excerpt from the preface:

"As the pace of business quickens and the number of brands multiplies, it’s customers, not companies, who decide which brands live and which ones die.  An overabundance of look-alike products and me-too services is forcing customers to search for something, anything, to help them separate the winners from the clutter.
    The solution?  When everybody zigs, zag…"

Radical differentiation, Neumeier explains, "is about finding a whole new market space you can own and defend, thereby delivering profits over years instead of months."  It’s the "engine of a high-performance brand.  It gets you on the fast track to having more people buy more stuff for more years at a higher price…With a zag, you can start a new category that your customers, your employees, your partners-even your competitors-will help you build.  Without a zag, you could easily end up in the fossil layers of market clutter."

"For most companies, the problem with radical differentiation is the "radical" part.  If nobody’s doing it, you’d be crazy to do it yourself, right?  Wrong.  In fact, if you’re looking to become the leader in a new market space, the rule is just the opposite.  If ANYBODY’s doing it, you’d be crazy to do it yourself.  You can’t be a leader by following the leader.  Instead, you have to find the spaces between the fielders.  You have to find a zag."

Do you zig or do you ZAG?

Susan Martin, NYC Marketing Coach and Zagging enthusiast.