The blaring ringtone jolted me awake. FJ fumbled for my phone, squinting at the caller ID through sleepy eyes. Wei again. That persistent sales rep just wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“Hello?” FJ mumbled.
“FJ! It’s Wei. Sorry to call so early but I couldn’t wait to tell you about our new Q11 model. I know you weren’t interested before but just hear me out…”
FJ stifled a yawn, already tuning him out. Our office walls were lined with samples from Wei’s company and others – auto phone holders, dash cams, Bluetooth speakers. After our last trade show, evaluating these commoditized gadgets was mind-numbingly dull.
“Wei, sorry but we’re swamped right now,” FJ interrupted. “Unless it’s something totally unique, I can’t justify any more supplier meetings this month.”
A pause. “Well, this auto tracking phone holder A11 is unique. It has a built-in power bank to charge your phone. No other holder does that!”
FJ sat bolt upright, suddenly alert. A power bank? Why didn’t he lead with that? FJ scrambled to the computer and searched “auto tracking phone holder” on Amazon. He was right – nothing similar existed. Wei kept talking but FJ was no longer listening, his imagination running wild. We could be first to market with this clever 2-in-1 design. Our clients could become Category Creator overnight!
His hands trembled with excitement as FJ asked Wei for more details on A11…
Lesson for the day: never underestimate any product, or you might miss out on a golden opportunity sitting right under your nose.
Category Design
| Category Name | Outdoor Auto Tracking Phone Holder |
| Uniqueness | First Powerbank+Auto Tracking Phone Holder |
| Competitor | Regular Auto Tracking Phone Holder |
| Competitor’s Shortcoming | Not Fit For Outdoor Use |
| Attacking Point | Never Worry About Power When Going Out |
| Category Potential | 3 Stars |