With AI reshaping industries and tariffs disrupting supply chains, mid-market companies can’t afford vague strategies or blind spots. Now more than ever, you need proof – not platitudes – to win and keep customers.
Michael Porter’s competitive strategy model—cost, differentiation, or focus—has long shaped strategic thinking. But for small-to-mid-market companies without strategy teams or MBA toolkits, Porter’s framework often lacks one critical element: how to differentiate today in a way that truly matters to customers.
That’s where Smith’s Creating Competitive Advantage comes in. Porter defines where to compete. Smith speaks to why customers should choose you – and how to prove it.
We identify specific, measurable, customer-relevant metrics that win business. Not vague claims like “great service,” but real data like “98% of projects experienced 24-hour turnaround vs. 72-hour industry average,” or “# of returns due to quality issues.”
Too many companies rely on assumptions or faulty internal data. One firm claimed their return rate was under 2%; our audit revealed it was 55%. They weren’t sitting on a differentiator – they were sitting on a landmine.
Metrics: Your Most Powerful Differentiator
We call them CRI™s—Customer Relevant Indicators™. These are the performance metrics that directly influence buying decisions: e.g., on-time delivery, issue resolution, accuracy rates. CRIs aren’t just operational, they’re strategic. They either support your value proposition or quietly sabotage it.
Built for the Mid-Market
Creating Competitive Advantage is not theory-heavy or academic. It’s built for companies that need actionable insights and ROI, not academic tomes.
In a world moving faster because of AI and less forgiving due to tariffs, the companies that measure what matters to buyers – and market it well – will be the ones that thrive.
Porter’s Competitive Advantage gives you the map while Smith’s Creating Competitive Advantage gets you there.
Purchase a copy of Creating Competitive Advantage.
July, 2025