Winning Market Share

You need to have an idea of both...

In any marketplace, some basic requirements -- "order qualifiers" (factors that attract people to your product or service in the market place)-- must be met just to stay in the game. If your prices are twice those of your direct competitor, you are unlikely to do much business. But when everyone offers the same price, what will differentiate your product is something extras your offer -- higher quality, more features, sleeker design.

Order qualifiers are your entry into the marketplace, but "order winners" (factors that determine whether people will buy your product or service.) are what determine whether people buy form you or not. You need to have an idea of both: whether your planned innovation is simply catching (basic order qualifier) or moving ahead (creating an order winner).

ACTION POINT: Know the order qualifiers and order winners for your products and services.