Industries are considered fragmented when there is no clear leader – no one dominant company with the power to influence the industry. If you’re in a fragmented industry, this is good news in one regard – smaller companies don’t have to worry about being crushed by large competitors. The downside is that, without a smart strategy, opportunities for growth are extremely limited. Fragmented industries are easy to spot, in addition to having no obvious leader, the industry is ri

A thought leader is essentially a trusted resource - and in an information economy - a trusted resource is extremely valuable. A thought leader can be an individual or a company with a thorough mastery of its business, its customers and the dynamics of the broader operating environment. The bottom line is that a thought leader has an enormous industry edge. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in – whether yours is a Fortune 1000 company or a bakery in a small town – though

Going rogue isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the world could use a few more practical rogues. I use the word to separate those who have some basis for their actions from those who act impulsively---to be clear, rogue can be good, but impulsive is always bad. Following are 6 instances where taking bold initiative has merit: 1. When You Know More than Everyone Else The reason you know more is either because you’ve done your homework or you have more experience is that a

1. Use them as sales tools. Use them in presentations, to illustrate key points and to overcome common objections. For example, if prospects often have concerns about service, present a case study that features a client who had similar concerns and then received stellar service. 2. Use them online to generate leads and traffic. You can offer your case studies in exchange for contact information on your Web site. Case studies will also increase traffic and possibly improve y