Beyond a USP: The Secrets to Competitive Advantage
2. Quality control: value from consistent service;
3. Packaging: value from product convenience;
4. Taking responsibility: value from convenient service;
5. Matching: value from product customization; and
6. Knowledge-based applications: value from customized service.
Use this list as an outline of the broad categories that you need to focus on to introduce innovations in your company. When you bundle as many of these activities as possible, you create a competitive advantage that’s not easy to copy.
A columnist for Retail Online Integration, George founded HAGUEdirect, a marketing agency. Previously he was a member of the Shawnee Mission, Kan.-based consulting and creative agency J. Schmid & Assoc. He has more than 10 years of experience in circulation, advertising, consulting and financial strategy in the catalog/retail industry. George's expertise includes circulation strategy, mailing execution, response analysis and financial planning. Before joining J. Schmid, George worked as catalog marketing director at Dynamic Resource Group, where he was responsible for marketing and merchandising for the Annie's Attic Needlecraft catalog, the Clotilde Sewing Notions catalog, the House of White Birches Quilter's catalog and three book clubs. George also worked on corporate acquisitions.
