In the hundreds of strategic planning meetings I've done, I've heard a disturbing comment more times than I like: "Of course, you HAVE TO (insert strategy here) to be successful in this industry."
What's wrong with this statement? First, it implies that every successful company in an industry must follow the same strategy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, the more your strategy is different from those of you competitors, the easier you will find it to gain customers and make money - as long as the difference enhances value for at least some of your customers. Wal-Mart, IBM, Apple, Southwest Airlines - all of these companies rose to greatness by being truly different in ways their customers loved.
The second problem with this common statement is that there are unwritten "rules" that every company in an industry has to follow. Phil Kotler said it best in the title of one of his best marketing books: "First, Break All The Rules". Real entrepreneurs - the ones who make great money - are almost always rule breakers rather than rule followers. So the next time you hear someone spouting a rule for how you succeed in your business, ask yourself, "Why should I follow this rule? And can I win by breaking it?"
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