Are You a Candidate for Market Dominance?

Take the Test:

• What do you stand for? Can you state it in one sentence? One word?
  
• Would we get the same answer from each of your employees? Clients?
  
• Why should a prospective client turn to you instead of someone else?
  
• What can you say about your capabilities that no one else can say?
  
• Do your proposals, marketing materials, web site, etc. have a unique voice?
  
• Do you have such a strong market position that clients actively seek you out, and you are able to name your price?
  
• Why should a talented recruit select your firm over another?
  
• Why would someone pay a premium for your stock?
  

Very few professional services firms today can answer these questions in a manner that clearly sets them apart from their competition. A large part of the problem is that companies are afraid to place their bets — focus on a specific well-defined market space and offer a specific set of solutions aimed at solving specific problems. But this is necessary if they are going to build a defensible market position with a footprint so unique that no competitor will be able to match it.

We have found that the best candidates for market dominance share certain characteristics:

Best Candidate Companies for Market Dominance

• Seeking high growth
  
• Intent on creating dominant market position
  
• Fighting increased competition and shrinking margins
  
• Provide services in rapidly-changing environments (industry,
• technical, business)
  
• Forward-thinking, progressive
  
• Results-oriented, action-oriented, have a sense of urgency
  
• Have smart people, a "team" culture, quality-orientation
  

Best Candidate Individuals for Leading a Company to Market Dominance

• Visionary leaders
  
• Accountable for strategic results
  
• Responsible for growing the business
  
• Increased revenues
  
• Increased profits
  
• Market penetration
  
• Identification and penetration of markets
  
• Focused on the Future
  
• Long-term vision
  
• Long-term positioning
  
• Getting from "where we are" to "where we want to be"
  
• Results-oriented, action-oriented, have a sense of urgency