Goblessed

as the frequency of purchasing, total spending, or the mixture of stores shopped (switching, investigating, comparing, delegating decisions), or ò Characteristicsùsuch as geodemographics for consumers or SIC codes for businesses (health conditions, subsidy status, current coverage status), or ò Attitudesùsuch as financial sophistication, fashion orientation, or disposition to adopt new technologies (interest, optimism). The variables that are used to define the segments are called the "basis." The basis is chosen in light of how the segmentation will be applied. Direct marketers, for instance, carefully dissect their databases in terms of purchase behavior. Other segments are based on consumersÆ motivations and concerns. Marketer choose this because motivations and concerns are what cause consumers to act on an offer. We donÆt think that there is only one "correct" way of doing segmentation research, nor that there is a single set of segments waiting to be "...

in potential) considered important in your market. Think about "what's important to the consumer" in other product or service categories that you can be the first (or better yet: the only) one to supply in yours. It works time after time. The companies that have succeeded in maintaining their differentiation over the years and weren't imitated even though they were making tremendous profits are those that innovated in qualities beyond the core benefits of their market. The farther you look, the more successful you can become. What are they waiting for? Let's look at some examples of off-core differentiation. Swatch decided to treat the watch face and band as a design area. What does this have to do with the core benefit of a watch? Exactly! So no one has imitated them. Not really. Grey Goose vodka is the only vodka produced in France. This differentiation is so way-out of the core benefits of the vodka industry! No vodka connoisseur in his right mind would imitate...