Becoming a Category of One

In the world of Reprospeak these days, "branding" is a hot topic. Almost every conference I attend now has a session on how to rebrand your reprographic company. Ultimately, the push is to help reprographers reach more technical revenue streams. New name. New log. New attitude.

Becoming a Category of One is a book beyond the why's of rebranding and speaks to the how's. Calloway hits three sweet spots on the path toward customer loyalty.

1. Know more about the customer than anyone else does.
2. Get closer to the customer than anyone else.
3. Emotionally connect with the customer better than your competition.

I liked Calloway's passion in describing the power of being the "only one" in the marketplace that provides a service or product. By standing out in a category of "ONE," you create your own market where there is no competition. I think the business principles can easily be applied to each of us personally as well.

Calloway also stresses on the power of "doing the right thing" to accomplish social profit in the community each of us serve. Special thanks to Chuck Gremillion of A & E : The Graphics Complex in Houston for recommending this book and living out many of it's principles through his leadership and visible results.