Becoming a Category of One: How Extraordinary Companies Transcend Commodity and Defy Comparison

I work in the apparel industry where your brand is everything; compelling your consumer to aspire to the lifestyle & image your product represents. This book was an excellent read in providing an innovative yet elemental though ... stop gauging success by competition and strive for top performance by your own standards of excellence. I would also recommend this read from the personal "brand" perspective; marketing yourself as a unique entity that defies competition. Definitely a book that will stay on my bookshelf for reference throughout my career.

In today's intensely competitive world, being unique has value. Being positively unique has even more value. Leading your category in the marketplace builds business through the image of that coveted Number One status. Being so unique and so powerful that you're in a category all by yourself is the ultimate achievement. That positioning sets you apart from all would-be competitors because you're something pretty special...and people like to do business with suppliers that are something pretty special. If you want to achieve superlative success, your goal should be to become a Category of One. First step: Read Joe Calloway's book. Second step: Read it again. Why? You'll be so entranced on the first reading that you'll miss a significant amount of valuable advice. Step Three: Start applying what you've learned from this book. Step Four: Read the book again, going back to all those passages you highlighted. Oh, along the way, better buy copies for all your key people so they can also get the message. [Snicker. After reading this book, you may have difficulty limiting who fits in that vital category of "key people."Calloway is a management consultant who specializes in branding and competitive positioning. Through his client interactions over the years, and his own personal experiences, he's accumulated a wealth of information and insight. He knows how to be so good that your would-be competitors can't even touch you. In a surprising self-effacing gesture, rarely seen from consultants, Calloway shares in the preface that he's not the expert; he's merely a reporter. I have difficulty believing that he doesn't have expertise, but he sure does a fine job of reporting what winning companies are doing. Each chapter is filled with advice, anecdotes, and inspiration. Very quickly, readers will "get" the difference between organizations that are so good that they create their own category...whether they intend to or not. As you learn why, you'll become motivated to make some changes in the way you do business. You'll discover what branding really means. You'll appreciate the power of being close to the customer. And you'll gain a deep understanding of how people can make the difference-if their leaders inculcate the values and drive for consistency that must be energized to be a Category of One employer.Note: while this book is intended for employers-owners, executives, manager, and everyone else on the team, there is also value for the individual who wants to make himself/herself highly attractive. Looking for the perfect job for you? Looking for the perfect mate? This book is not the end-all, but the principles Calloway teaches have wide application. Open your mind and open your wallet. This is a book worth buying, reading, absorbing, and applying.

If you take only two (of many) things away from this book, it is 1) your brand belongs to your customers and 2)once you've achieved Category One status, the price of your product is (almost)immaterial. Joe makes a very simple point that ends up being one of those "slap your forehead" moments: Do all the corporate-like things, such as have a mission and vision, build an ace culture, walk the talk, etc. but ultimately it is your customer who decides whether you deliver on your brand promise. And that customer is a doozy: intelligent, educated, demanding and able to look through a smoke and mirror tactic in a second.Speaking of Mirrors...Joe unashamedly plugs his restaurant "Mirror" in Nashville - not because he needs the advertising (although being a bit of a gourmet and a lot of a gourmand, I was about to relocate at the mention of "blue cheese polenta fries") but because the restaurant is a Category of One enterprise. Everybody in that place and all the other case studies Joe talks about have one thing in common: a laser focus on the customer and what she wants - and then delivering it, every time, flawlessly and with a big smile. That customer will come back time and again. Not because you have the best prices - in fact - your products may be significantly more expensive, but because she likes doing business with your people.Reading Joe's book is like having a conversation with him. I found myself nodding and agreeing out loud (in the privacy of my home, of course). Overall, it re-emphasized the importance of strong leadership, a value system that is constantly talked about, and all employees knowing why they get up in the morning.Needless to say, but I will anyway: Read it!

Joe Calloway practices what he preaches. The author is not content to rehash what others have written about the topic of branding. He offers innovative suggestions that can give you and your business top-of-the-mind awareness in your industry. Packed with fascinating, real-life examples and results-producing suggestions, this book should be required reading for entrepreneurs and CEO's because their success depends on their ability to distinguish themselves from competitors. Read it and reap.

This book is terrific, a must read for any organization looking for a solid, no nonsense way to diffentiate themselves from the competition without focusing on product or price. Sure, there are alot of customer service books out there, but this one hits it on the head! It's PEOPLE and the experience they create for the customer that are your brand. The book in clear fashion outlines the easy to grasp ways a company can truly diffentiate themselves from the competition without placing the major focus on product or price. The author writes in plain, fun, and easy to understand english with many real life examples to illustrate the message. While the book is a quick read, it is packed with very good material. One of the most important business books I have ever read. The book itself is in a Category of One! (Sorry, pun intended).