One thing that is clear about telecom is that it has plateaued. Just look at the earnings statements.
This has always been a me-too industry – since dial-up to the Integrated T1. Now it is UC and SD-WAN.
I was explaining to a friend today that telecom is like the potato chip aisle. Quick make another BBQ favored chip. That’s what the market is clamoring for!
No they aren’t.
They don’t need another laundry detergent in the Tide aisle either!
Although Budweiser outsells every beer in the aisle; there is always another one. (Also, retail versus restaurant/bar sales are different.)
I often use a picture of the pain relief aisle (NSAID) since many people stare at that aisle trying to figure out what to buy.
In either aisle, there are 8 to 12 feet of space taken up by the commodity – beer, NSAIDs, laundry detergent or chips. How do you Differentiate? How do you get the buyer to pick yours?
In retail you can pay for placement in the aisle. Notice where Tide is in the grocery store. You can pay for placement in analyst reports and in master agencies.
It still begs the question: Why do some buy store brand and others pick the name brand?
According to Bud, it is for almost everyone. The problem in marketing is that EVERYONE thinks they should appeal to everyone. That’s not how it works!
There can only be one (maybe 2) mass market winner – Bud, Tide, Bayer, AT&T.
Everyone else has to figure out why US instead of the mass market choice.
Another way to put it: know what kind of car you are. If you are a Chevy Malibu, don’t pretend to be a Maserati.
Every car model has to differentiate using factors such as price point or car type (SUV, crossover, sporty) or safety or gadgets or fun. It is an exercise in Marketing. JS talks about it here, but you don’t have to spend $20K on the exercise. But you do need to do the exercise – what is your Positioning, your Value Proposition. Why you and not them? This is a significant piece of the puzzle.
So if you aren’t Bud or Bayer or Tide or AT&T, recognize it. Market to those that will listen and tell them why you are the better choice. Tell them the story of why YOU and not them. Why Bud and not a mead.