For the first time, an overarching and systematic process is presented to think about creating your digital strategy. Traditional models will not form the basis for future success. These models are focused on a one way street - promote, target and sell - often competing against the rest of the world. We need a new approach to orient our organizations to the new connected world. The 5 actionable frameworks in this book will help you align your digital strategy with the customer. This book is about partnership with customers, about connecting with them on multiple levels, about crafting uniqueness, about leveraging the transformation this connected world is going through, and as a result, about staying ahead of the pack. Learn why and how you should: 1. Not leave to chance what customers need to build context 2. Unify emotional appeal with physical interactions 3. Not just be different or niche, but be un-commoditized 4. Not act as the 5 blind men as you engage with customers 5. Look beyond your own products and create new linkages The five principles in this book will also provide a validating structure for your existing strategies. 1. The Principle of External Reinforcement How should you be the customers' advocate and trusted advisor, so they make a decision "with" you instead of "about" you? Be your customers' reference point and one of the centers of their universe. If they have to look beyond you for validation, you've lost the advantage and submitted yourself to an unforced error from your competitor. How can you embed yourself in their decision process - explicitly or implicitly - and help them along this journey? 2. The Principle of Customer Interaction It's a fact. Some products are high touch, some are not. Some connect at the emotional level, some at the physical interaction level, and some at both. Both engagement models peg you in your customer's mind - that peg is called your brand. But your competition is not keeping still. They are constantly trying to dethrone you through direct or flank attacks. Hence, understanding how to create relationships from both ends of the engagement spectrum is the key to success. 3. The Principle of Un-Commoditization Your fundamental philosophy, your passion, your excellence, these are all factors that go towards differentiating yourself. The term "differentiation" however has become an overused technical term that seems to distance your operations from your strategy. Instead I chose to use the word un-commoditization to reflect the harsh realities of today's connected world. This principle provides the elements of how to think about breaking away from the pack. Un-commoditization is always possible and is critical to securing a position in your customer's mind. Without a distinctive position in the customer's mind, you might as well save your brand marketing budget. 4. The Principle of Presenting Who are you? If you are like most companies, your customers can potentially use more than one of your products or services. Are you presenting them in silos, or creating harmony between them? The principle of Presenting is aimed at helping you become the singular brand powerhouse that you should be, striving to meet customer needs. 5. The Principle of Completion It's obvious that your products meet a customer need. But your customers also use products which have nothing to do with you. Many of these needs are linked to each other. This principle is about the art of alliances, building a communication network that spans the entire spectrum of customers' needs. The ecosystem you choose to be part of will define you in the future. Those who are isolated will be left behind.