Category of One

Emqube is a software development company with a team of developers present in UAE and serving customers from our office in Dubai. The company belongs in the Category of One it created for itself unlike host of similar companies that only have a rep office in Dubai but operate from an overseas location. These outposts in Asia or CIS region may offer a price arbitrage but when it comes to service and quality, it takes a mind working in modern Dubai to deliver the edge.

In this article we explore the concept of creating and reaping the benefits of the Category of One.

A company’s product on a supermarket shelf jostling for buyer’s attention has a tough task if the customer cannot distinguish its uniqueness from others on the same shelf.

What if your product had its own section? What if it was on a shelf alone with no sign of competition. That would happen only if your product was in the Category of One. A category so distinct that customers seek it out and competitors scramble to catch up with. And what if this Category of One was so well singular, so distinguished and so innovative that it gave you a head start of at least a couple of years.

In today’s world, competition is ferocious. Competitors engage in a constant guerrilla warfare to get better ahead of each other and snatch market share. It is difficult to differentiate your product or service, when you are competing on the same features that most business firm offer.

Offering a whole new level of innovation, allows you to break free from value-cost tradeoffs and deliver value to customers. The mantra is finding your passion in crafting unique solutions and your customers will find you.

The most extraordinary companies set themselves apart by selling a unique solution as their differentiating factor. Upon discovery of an unmet need, a category is born, and a company is on its way to dominating it. They build a category of their own – one that matters to the customers.

Ariane Resnick, a special diet chef and certified nutritionist, founded her niche empire by using food to help people heal and feel better. With nutritious recipes, she brings comfort to the soul and deliciousness to life.

People could easily find gluten-free chefs or vegan ones, but they didn’t have anyone who could handle a client that was no gluten, no soy, no dairy and no meat. Ariane Resnick crafted tasty yet healthy food for people with several diet restrictions out of only organic farm-to-table ingredients. She discovered a niche area and gradually built her category of one in culinary experiences.

Blue Ocean

The Blue Ocean strategy to create a new market space and make competition irrelevant is a valiant approach for creating the Category of One. Instead of trying to fight for the biggest slice of a pie that’s quickly being devoured in the blood red waters, success can be achieved by creating a larger pie for all in serene blue waters. This focuses on a whole new definition of success. A structured approach to implement the Blue Ocean strategy will help get in the Category of One.

One and Only

Building your Category of One means not just finding a new product or service, but also finding those precious elements that give you a strong lead for others who may try to enter your category. You need to communicate what is the uniqueness of your product/service and why customers should prefer only you over every other option available.

One means One

You can’t be everything to everyone. Venturing into your Category of One requires you to give up on other me-too variants. It requires commitment and courage to stay alone and it is only your belief in your uniqueness that will bring the customer. A segment of your target customers will be ready to shell out extra dollars choosing you over the others for the tangible value you offer. This gives you the dash of confidence to keep going.

Vision and guts

It takes vision, stamina and guts to build your category of one. The untrodden path may be riddled with challenges to overcome and you will require to pool in your resources to build your Category of One. It also requires uncommon guts to stay on the path. You will be watching the progress of your endeavour and taking necessary adjustments to retain the control on your category. But when you get it right, there is amazing satisfaction for you, your company and the market that benefits from the new category created.

The Category of One is not for the braveheart and it makes sense to think outside the box, be a contrarian, and build a Category of One where your uniqueness quotient is your value proposition. You will soon reap the benefits of your unique category in calm blue waters.