Everyone loves the underdog. We want to see the team who seemingly have no chance against the giants win. The same is true for business. Perhaps you are a business that is not the industry leader, referred to a “challenger brand”. Do you still have a chance? The answer is absolutely!

Who are “challenger brands”?  They don’t have the budget.  Challenger brands know that they are not number 1, but know where they stand in the market.  Challenger brands know that to be successful they need to create disruption.  Challenger brands are resilient and ready to take action.

On this episode of A New Direction Michael Tuggle, Tuggle Creative Inc. and former Co-Executive Creative Director at LOOMIS of Loomis advertising helps us understand how an underdog brand a.k.a. “Challenger Brand” can compete when they differentiate themselves by what they have on the inside…namely their culture.

If you want to be a successful challenger brand it is not going to be about spending more money.  It is not going to do what the category or industry leader does.  A challenger brand will be more successful when they realize that there is something in their culture that distinguishes is from any other business that they can put to the market.  Often times we want to think it is something big that will change the destiny of a challenger brand, but more frequently it is one little thing in the culture that emotionally connects, where people feel good about the challenger brand.

Mike Sullivan and Michael Tuggle‘s book “The Voice of the Underdog: How Challenger Brands Create Distinction By Thinking Culture First” is a well researched and insightful book and toolkit to help underdog “challenger brand” businesses from where they are to achieving high success.  The fact is that if your culture is wrong, you will not be able to compete.  If your leadership is wrong, you won’t have a culture worth fighting for.  The ideas in this book are not for the faint of heart.  They will challenge you.  They may even make you upset because they will fly in the face of conventional thinking, but their research and track record of success make it clear that if you want to be a challenger brand that makes a disruption in the industry, you are going to have to think differently, be different, and resilient.

Please Reach OUT and Thank our sponsors who support A New Direction

EPIC Physical Therapy.   There are a number of physical therapy places.  And I have been to several, but I have yet to find one where both the professional athlete and the people like you and I can go and get the best treatment plan that will get us back doing before our injury.  EPIC PT is the only place I will go.  It is because they have everything from rehabilitation after major surgery to working with better nutrition.  They have the latest in cutting edge equipment and their certified staff of therapists are second to none.  Epic Recovery.  Epic results.  Check out EPIC Physical Therapy at www.EPICpt.com

AND

Linda Craft & Team, Realtors is located at 7300 Six Forks Road in Raleigh North Carolina, they have been serving the Research Triangle Park area for 35 years.  In that time Linda created a culture of “Legendary Customer Service”.  It is not a slogan it is part of their DNA.  And in that time they have developed relationships with the world’s leading real estate professionals to help you find the best professional to help you sell your home or buy your next one.  Why not head on over to the “Legends” Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS www.LindaCraft.com

The post Taking an Underdog Challenger Brand to Greater Success appeared first on Jay Izso.