The Thing About Goliath

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Walmart is the largest bricks-and-mortar retailer in the history of the world.  This has been the case since 1989. 

But think about how many other retailers have grown successfully since then.  Here’s a partial list:

Target.  Nordstrom.  Costco.  Amazon.  Zappos.  Alibaba.

Winning strategy is about doing a few things extremely well.  The corollary: Choosing to do some things well means choosing not to do some other things well.

One of those other things might represent a winning path for your team and the people you serve.

For example: Target focuses on design and innovation for a particular consumer.  Nordstrom has legendary customer service.  Costco marries deep discounts with a “scavenger hunt” shopping experience.  Zappos is about selection and service.

There’s no brand so powerful that it can’t be successfully challenged.  And there’s never just one way to win.

The thing about Goliath is that he had a weakness.

About Matthew Fenton: Matthew is a former CMO who helps brands to focus, grow and win.  Since founding his consultancy, Three Deuce Branding, in 1997, he’s helped hundreds of brands to achieve “brand clarity.”  His consulting services and speaking engagements help brands to focus on what matters through positioning, strategy and ideation.  Contact Matthew here.  He’s based near Portland, in Oregon wine country.

Copyright 2020 – Matthew Fenton. All Rights Reserved. You may reprint this article with the original, unedited text intact, including the About Matthew Fenton section.