Simply Strategy: The shortest route to the best strategy

Chapter 10. Who are We? What will We Do?

We now have all the essential pieces of the strategy puzzle, and it’s that exciting time when we can put them together.

First focus on the question of who you are and what you’re good at doing – according to the market. Where do your customers rate you highly and allow you to make great profits? Focus also implies knowing what you are not so good at – where competitors are better and you make mediocre or poor returns.

As an illustration, let’s recount what some companies who have been through our strategy process have concluded:

‘We are great at supplying high margin, branded stationery items in Europe, delivering high quality product quickly. We cannot be efficient or low enough in cost for lower margin or ...