Exploring 3m's Blue Ocean Strategy

It is important, as a part of any companies’ Blue Ocean Strategy, to explore the three tiers of non-customers, the buyers’ utility map and experience cycle, and uncover the blocks to buyers’ utility. As companies explore the three tiers of their non-customers they may be able to uncover an untapped potential for customers. The three tiers of non-customers identifies what customers are not purchasing a product or service you offer, as well as why they may not be part of your current consumer group. The buyers’ utility map and experience cycle basically examines the buyers experience with your product or service from start to finish, or from the purchase of the item to the disposal of the item. The buyers’ utility map and experience cycle highlights six different utility levers within each phase of the buyers’ experience cycle. Uncovering a particular block in the buyers’ experience cycle requires a company to examine at which phase or utility lever the company does not perform at its best or meet the consumers’ needs and/or demands.
There are three tiers of non-customers that can be indentified and brought in as customers. Each tier is different and displays a comparative distance from the desired market. 3M has a broad spectrum of product but they are most notably known for their office organization products. A company that examines the similarities among non-customers and existing customers can identify how expand their consumer base. To say that the first tier has the highest potential for bringing the consumer back in whereas the third tier of non-customers may take the most effort and money to bring in as a customer would be inaccurate. The best way to bring in more customers is to explore the commonalties among the three tiers rather than to assume that the first tier is the most marketable rather than the third tier. “The first tier of non-customers is closest to your market. They sit on the edge of the market, and are buyers who minimally