Test your strategy before you execute it!

You want to put into practice the strategy you devised as a result of busy hours after big goals and expectations. Because you feel that you can't bear to waste any more time. But remember that the real waste of time is the time it takes to start with a strategy that is not built correctly and see that it doesn't work, or even admit that it doesn't. This time can be even more devastating when the wasted resources are taken into account. Therefore, wouldn't it be better to test the possible success of your strategy on paper first?

The basis of the strategy is to make a technological or strategic move against a strong opponent with a force superiority. However, in this way, the superiority of force, which is impossible to seize in the short term, can be achieved in the medium or long term. You can see the perfect strategies behind the success stories of today's powerful companies in the business world. When it was founded in the early 2010s, Trendyol saw the long-term opportunity and designed its strategy by focusing on the online shopping front, rather than waging war against the retail giants on the physical store front, where they are strong. With the explosion of online shopping, Trendyol became a giant and gained a serious power superiority in the market through the online channel. Trendyol's job is now easier; Evaluating possible opponent attacks in order to protect his power and responding by using strength superiority according to the possible effect of the attack.

Smaller players have a much harder job; How can an advantage be gained against a tough opponent? Can the constructed strategies or creative ideas have a serious chance in this tough battle?

I designed the Strategy Test Algorithm, which I created to answer these questions, by examining the common features of the most successful strategies in both war and business history. The algorithm, which consists of a chain of open and closed-ended questions, makes it easy for you to rationally evaluate the success potential of your strategy before you put it into practice.

The testing algorithm starts with two main questions that are the basis of the strategy;

Your strategy,

1) Which medium-long term opportunity/threat is it targeting in the market?

2) What strengths does the company use?

Importance of flanking

The first question is to direct your setup to have a say in a medium to long-term opportunity or to circumvent a threat with minimal damage. If the plan you're working on is shorter-term or about current trends, remember that it's much easier for your competitors to read your move and give a similar response. In the history of both war and business, the most rational and creative strategies have been shaped by flanking attacks, where it is difficult for the opponent to read the move in the short run. Trendyol's focus on online shopping, Xiaomi's first attack on the smart clothing category through affordable smart bracelets, or GSK's prioritization of the dentist channel in the promotion of Sensodyne product and only the pharmacy channel in its distribution are examples of recent global and local effective wing attacks. Rather than targeting high sales or revenue at the starting point, all these strategic moves aimed to circumvent the strong competitor and take a meaningful place in the consumer's mind in the medium term.

Importance of your own strength

Your answer to the second fundamental question is at the heart of your strategy. In order to take advantage of the opportunity you foresee in the medium and long term, more than your competitors; You need to identify your strong area where you are in a better position than your competitors and it is not possible to close this gap in the short term. Xiaomi; He did not wage the first war against Apple or Samsung directly with a smartphone or a watch. First, it went to war with low-priced products that its powerful competitors did not care about in terms of profitability, but that it was or could be strong. Over time, it gained enough power in the consumer mind with the right products it launched in this category, and then it expanded the war to other categories. Today, global sales data for June 2021 show that Xiaomi now sells more smartphones than Apple and Samsung.

Conversely, the strategy that you will devise for areas other than your own strength will always be much less successful, as it will be played in the stronger area of ​​​​the opponent. Some initial successes with such moves will awaken your strong opponent in that area and draw you into a war that you cannot sustain in terms of cost. The Coke Turka – Coca Cola war that took place in the 90s and the result that Cola Turka gave up on this war is one of the most memorable examples of this situation.

Analysing competitors’ potential moves

Suppose we have a competitive advantage as a result of the first 2 questions of the strategy test. Now we come to the hardest part of the test; anticipating the possible responses of competitors. At this point, the test is divided into two according to how quickly your opponents can respond effectively to this strategic move;

1) 1) If your opponents can respond quickly, the problem is most likely because your move is aimed at a short-term opportunity. Otherwise, your opponent would not be able to understand your move in such a short time and would not think to respond. In the other case, your move is aimed at the opponent's strong area; Your opponent will be able to respond very quickly to this move, thanks to his power superiority.

2) 2) If your competitors cannot respond to this move in the short term, you are likely to be on the right track. The question now is, what competitive advantage you have been holding until your competitors can respond in your chosen opportunity area? Does your strength in this area promise a significant power advantage in the medium and long term as a result of the market's evolution towards an opportunity area?

If your strategy has passed this test point as well, it should normally pass the sufficient resource question at the end of the test. If your answer is that you don't have enough resources for your strategy, you have a mistake in the previous questions and most likely in using your strong field. Under normal circumstances, the war in this area should not cost you a resource that you cannot afford.

Exposure of those who set up the strategy to the questions in the test by different people or departments and trying to satisfy these people with their answers will significantly increase the impartiality and therefore the effectiveness of the test.

Note: For the test, the medium-long term is foreseen as 1 year. This period may be extended or shortened depending on the market and product category.