Deciding Whether a Feature Is a Unique Strength

Some companies think that if they are the only ones to provide specific features, they have unique strengths. They encourage salespeople to discuss these unique strengths on every sales call. You soon discover these so-called unique strengths turn out to be unique weaknesses. They become diluting features that add no measurable value, only costs to your products. The following four questions can help you to determine what constitutes a unique strength:

1. Do your customers consider it unique (not just your engineering or marketing departments)?

2. Does it achieve well-recognized customer goals?

3. Does it produce measurable value and direct savings in terms of money?

4. Does it build barriers to competition that force competitors to use measurable value (if they can) rather than perceived value?

Apple Computer has less than 10 percent of the personal computer (PC) market, while Microsoft Windows has 90 percent worldwide. Apple Computer's unique strength is an easier-to-use operating system that works fantastically with graphics programs. Microsoft's unique strength is that it supports ten times more business software programs.

Therefore, Apple concentrates on customers whose goals are graphics creativity and ease of use—customers who do not need numerous business programs. Its ease-of-use operating system dominates the educational (nonbusiness) market, while its graphics superiority dominates the publishing world.

Ten times more business software does not matter to customers with nonbusiness applications. Apple's success results from knowing which customers place the most value on their unique strengths; and which ones do not.