The Big Idea from The Blue Ocean Strategy

Instead of competing only on the factors everyone in the market already competes on, you can rethink the value you provide by eliminating, reducing, raising or creating factors that change the customer’s experience.

This book speaks to the problem a lot of  expert-based businesses like coaches, consultants, freelancers and professional service providers are facing because most of  them compete on the same things:

• Experience

• Expertise

• Credentials

• Personal attention

• Quality

• Price

• Number of services

• Years in business

The result is often a crowded market where everyone says: I’m better.

Blue Ocean Strategy gives you another question: what could we change about the value we provide so the customer has a more compelling reason to choose us?

What Business Problem Does The Blue Ocean Strategy Solve?

It takes care of: My market is crowded, and I don’t know how to create meaningful differentiation without simply claiming that I’m better.

The Blue Ocean Strategy helps you examine the factors on which customers currently compare competing offers.

Then you can ask four powerful questions:

• Eliminate: What can we remove because customers don’t really need it?
• Reduce : What can we provide at a lower level because the market is over-serving customers?
• Raise: What should we increase because customers genuinely value it?
• Create: What could we introduce that customers would value but existing alternatives don’t provide?

These questions become a practical way to discover customer-relevant differentiation.

Should I Read It Now?

Yes, your objective is to use the book to identify meaningful ways your offer could create and communicate distinctive customer value.

You are not trying to create an entirely new industry.

You are trying to find a stronger value position within the market you have chosen.

Which Parts of Blue Ocean Strategy Matter Most for this Step? Focus on these:

Part One: Blue Ocean Strategy

Chapter 1: Creating Blue Oceans (IMPORTANT READ)

Focus on the central idea of creating a different value proposition rather than competing only within existing market rules.

The important question here is: Are we simply competing on the same factors as everyone else?

Chapter 2: Analytical Tools and Frameworks (MOST IMPORTANT)

Pay particular attention to:

• Strategy Canvas : Use this to understand the factors customers currently compare across competing alternatives.
• Four Actions Framework: This gives you the core questions: Eliminate, Reduce, Raise, Create

Chapter 3: Reconstruct Market Boundaries (SKIM for Now)

This is useful for learning how businesses can look beyond obvious competitors and rethink the boundaries of a market.

You don’t need to master the entire framework at this stage.

Chapter 4: Focus on the Big Picture, Not the Numbers (SKIP FOR NOW)

Useful for broader strategic planning, but not necessary for deciding how your expert-based offer should differentiate itself.

Chapter 5: Reach Beyond Existing Demand (SKIM)

Useful for thinking about customers outside your current target market.

But your immediate objective is to strengthen the offer for your Best-Fit Customer.

Chapter 6: Get the Strategic Sequence Right (SKIM)

Useful background for thinking about whether your proposed changes make sense strategically.

Not essential to the immediate execution exercise.

Part Three: Executing Blue Ocean Strategy (SKIP FOR NOW)

Chapters 7–10 deal primarily with organizational execution, alignment and renewal.

Those issues become more relevant as a business grows.

You don’t need them to complete your initial differentiation strategy.

What Should I Ignore For Now?

Don’t turn this into a competition to invent something nobody else has.

You don’t need:

• A bizarre business model

• A complicated proprietary framework

• A new industry category

• A strange pricing model

• A long list of artificial differentiators

Differentiation does not mean being different for the sake of being different. Your difference must matter to the customer.

Your EVUNN Action

Build Your Differentiation & Value Innovation Map. To do that, bring forward your outputs from: Step 3 (Customer Alternative & Decision Landscape) and. Step 4 (Positioning Blueprint)

You are now going to identify where your offer can create meaningful customer value that the alternatives do not provide in the same way. Follow these steps:

1. Identify What Customers Currently Compare

Start with the alternatives your customer considers.

List the factors they appear to use when deciding between those alternatives.

For example:

• Price

• Speed

• Expertise

• Personalisation

• Convenience

• Support

• Implementation

• Access

• Flexibility

• Depth

• Results

• Risk

• Reputation

Use the evidence from your earlier research where possible. Don’t simply guess what customers care about.

2. Map The Current Market

Look at the alternatives side by side.

Ask: What does the market currently over-emphasise?

For example, most competitors compete heavily on:

• More content

• More features

• More hours

• More certifications

• Lower price

• More services

This raises an important question: Are customers actually getting more value from all of this?

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EVUNN Mindset Checkpoint

Are you trying too hard to be different?

When  most experts hear the word differentiation, they sometimes feel they must invent something nobody else has. Don’t start thinking: I need a proprietary framework or I need something nobody else does.

Your goal is not to be unique. Your goal is to be meaningfully preferable to the right customer.

Sometimes your strongest differentiation is simply:

• A narrower customer

• A better process

• A faster path

• Greater personalisation

• Better implementation

• A more convenient experience

• Lower risk

• A more relevant specialisation

Ask: What can I do differently that this customer genuinely values?

Optional reading: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Listen to Audiobook with Audible Free Trial

Use this only if you find yourself stuck because you believe you need a completely original idea before you can move forward.

This is a mindset checkpoint, not a required reading assignment.

Your Step 5 Output

By the end of this step, you should have a DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY that Contains:

Competitive Alternatives
↓
Customer Decision Factors
↓
Current Market Value Factors
↓
Eliminate
↓
Reduce
↓
Raise
↓
Create
↓
Potential Differentiators
↓
Customer Value Created
↓

Core Differentiators

↓

Differentiation Statement

Find What Makes You Meaningfully Different

It’s time to stop saying you’re different and figure out how you actually are.

🔓Use the  EVUNN Execution Toolkit: Differentiation & Value Innovation Map

Don’t compete by simply claiming that you’re better.

The EVUNN Differentiation & Value Map helps you identify what you can do differently, what your customers actually value, and which differences are strong enough to matter in the market

Don’t claim to be different without giving customers a real reason to choose you.