Emily Turner’s 2016 book, “Strategic Blueprints: Formulating Successful Blue Ocean Strategies,” serves as a comprehensive guide for businesses aiming to navigate markets characterized by low competition and high growth potential. Turner’s methodology is founded on the principles of Blue Ocean Strategy, where the focus is on creating new demand in an uncontested market space rather than competing in an existing industry. The book is structured into several key components that collectively form a detailed blueprint for formulating and implementing successful Blue Ocean strategies.

Key Point: The book begins by defining Blue Ocean Strategy and contrasting it with Red Ocean Strategy.

Example: Turner illustrates the concept with real-world examples, such as how Cirque du Soleil reinvented the circus industry by combining elements of theater and circus, creating a unique entertainment experience that drew a new audience.

Actionable Step: Identify industries where the competition is fierce and explore how you could create a different kind of value that appeals to non-customers. For instance, if you are in the travel industry, consider creating unique, experience-based travel packages that focus on lesser-known destinations and incorporate local culture, thereby tapping into a new customer base.

Key Point: Turner introduces several analytical tools and frameworks essential for formulating Blue Ocean Strategies, such as the Strategy Canvas, the Four Actions Framework, and the Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create Grid.

Example: Taking the Strategy Canvas, Turner uses the case of Southwest Airlines, which eliminated costly services like meals and first-class seating but raised service frequency and convenience, effectively creating a new market segment.

Actionable Step: Create a Strategy Canvas for your business. Map out your industry’s key competing factors and assess how you and your competitors invest in each factor. Then, identify which factors you can eliminate, reduce, raise, or create to differentiate your business.

Key Point: The book emphasizes the importance of looking beyond the conventional boundaries of the industry to uncover untapped opportunities. It introduces methods to canvass the wider landscape and identify where potential demand could be created.

Example: Turner discusses the innovation by [yellow tail] in the wine industry. Instead of focusing on wine connoisseurs, the brand targeted beer and cocktail drinkers with simple choices and vibrant branding, expanding the market significantly.

Actionable Step: Conduct a customer survey or focus group to understand the unmet needs and wants in related industries. Use this data to brainstorm ways to alter your offerings to appeal to a broader audience. For instance, if you run a fitness center, perhaps offering wellness programs that integrate mental health can attract a new segment.

Key Point: Turner details methods to break the perceived value-cost trade-off by simultaneously pursuing differentiation and low cost.

Example: She cites IKEA’s cost leadership that doesn’t compromise on style or functionality, making well-designed furniture affordable and appealing to a broad customer base.

Actionable Step: Reevaluate your value chain to find areas where you can cut costs without reducing perceived value. This could involve investing in innovative manufacturing processes or direct-to-consumer distribution methods to lower expenses while maintaining quality.

Key Point: The book discusses ways to systematically reconstruct market boundaries to uncover new opportunities.

Example: Turner examines how Nintendo Wii broke traditional market boundaries by focusing on family and casual gamers rather than competing directly with more powerful gaming consoles like Xbox and PlayStation.

Actionable Step: Look for alternative industries or strategic groups that serve your market in different ways. Evaluate how you can incorporate elements that appeal to a broader audience. For example, if you are in the restaurant business, integrating a bookshop or live music space can draw in different crowds and create a multi-faceted dining experience.

Key Point: Turner stresses the importance of effective execution and provides a blueprint for implementing Blue Ocean Strategy.

Example: She details the story of how Jamba Juice executed its strategy by focusing initially on densely populated college towns, creating a strong brand identity, and then scaling up.

Actionable Step: Develop a detailed action plan with clear milestones and responsibilities. Choose an initial target market that allows for easy testing and iteration. For instance, if you’re launching a new tech gadget, start with a tech-savvy demographic where feedback can be quickly obtained and used to improve the product.

Key Point: The book identifies common organizational hurdles and provides strategies to overcome them.

Example: Turner describes how the senior leadership at the Apollo Group gained buy-in from middle management by organizing workshops that explained the strategic shift and demonstrated its benefits through case studies.

Actionable Step: Organize internal workshops and meetings to communicate the Blue Ocean Strategy and its benefits to all stakeholders. Use success stories from the book or similar industries to illustrate the potential advantages and alleviate concerns.

Key Point: Turner argues that it’s crucial for organizations to align their value, profit, and people propositions to create a sustainable Blue Ocean Strategy.

Example: She highlights how the Tata Nano car focused on the value proposition of affordable mobility, profit proposition through lean manufacturing, and people proposition by involving local communities in the supply chain.

Actionable Step: Evaluate and align your business’s core propositions. For a startup, this could mean ensuring that your product not only adds unique value but does so in a cost-effective manner while engaging employees in a mission-driven culture.

Key Point: Turner concludes with the notion that Blue Ocean Strategy is not a one-time endeavor but a continuous process of innovation and adaptability.

Example: Turner cites Apple, which consistently reinvents its product lines and explores new market opportunities to stay ahead.

Actionable Step: Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. Regularly revisit and adjust your strategy based on market feedback and emerging trends. Use annual strategy sessions to evaluate the current market landscape and tweak your approach to maintain a Blue Ocean.

In “Strategic Blueprints: Formulating Successful Blue Ocean Strategies,” Emily Turner provides a detailed road map for businesses to break free from saturated markets and create their own niches. Through real-world examples, actionable advice, and strategic frameworks, the book helps readers understand how to innovate effectively and cultivate untapped markets. By identifying hidden opportunities, breaking value-cost trade-offs, reconstructing market boundaries, and aligning core propositions, businesses can sustainably navigate towards uncontested market spaces for significant growth and minimal competition.