Create. Don't compete.

Boundaries. They surround us everywhere. It’s safe here. The rules are understandable. But what is beyond these imaginary barriers?

The changes frighten us. What is even more frightening is the resistance to standards and going out of the comfort zone. However, these boundaries have been created by people as well. We, human beings, are intelligent, though not perfect. And still, no one knows the meaning of our being here and now and the laws of the universe in general. Let alone the “correct” boundaries.

Sooner or later, everyone comes to an awareness that we live in a world full of some cognitive biases and stereotypes which not only prevent us from thinking outside of the box but also create a prism through which we see only usual black and white. But nothing changes if nothing changes.

Have you ever noticed that we can draw an analogy between any human behavior and doing business? Such an irony, but it's not surprising because we do business by ourselves as well as the rules of the game in the market, right?

Some are struggling against competitiveness conforming to imaginary standards set by others, lowering prices of the product, and launching ineffective traditional advertising campaigns, because "it works for others"; as a result, they are drowning in a red ocean of bloody competition. Consequently, thousands, even millions, of dollars are lost. Remaining one of the thousands, one of the millions. 

While others create their own blue oceans. It's this particular untouched market where they dictate the rules and where there is no competition because there haven't been any analogue products until now. These oceans are deserted and completely undiscovered. Such apt metaphors were given in the well-known bestseller "The Blue Ocean Strategy" by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne.  

So, let's go back to the boundaries. Going beyond is really scary. Why? Because you don't know what to expect and how the consumer will react to this. This is not described in any book. There haven't been any successful cases yet, or, vice versa, other people's mistakes that could be taken into account. Thus, lots of questions pop up: Will they buy my product? Will it be useful? Will it be profitable?

Indeed, it is difficult to overcome in one's head all subjectivism and to perceive the "not customer-oriented model" rather than the “customer-oriented” one. This will raise many similar questions, the answers to which you will not know until you give it a go. 

Fear and risk will always be there. But isn't that what moves us forward? The world is changing, people are changing. Today, your customers want one thing, tomorrow another. The meaning of "importance" in choice changes for them as well. And it is impossible to keep up with this by following the classic scenario. In this case, you will always go behind those who write it. The winners are those who will go beyond the established pattern, find the untapped niche first, and will manage to maintain their position.

The goal is not easy. But if your product is always innovative and at the same time does not lose its value, if you change your focus from the competitors to the clients, it will always be "checkmate", without a game and lost pieces.

And again, let's discard the boundaries. No one says that it's only about creating a product from scratch. The blue ocean strategy can and even should be applied in the existing business. Inside the industry and outside. Even a slight deviation from the standards, either in the configuration of the product or in its package, can completely change the usual concept, thus, opening a new market niche and new opportunities. 

Everything starts with something small but quite valuable. It's an idea. 

Create! Don't compete!