Category of One™

Our Thinking

Category-Level
Insights.

A different belief.
A different possibility.
A different business.

Ideas from The Novelty Principle on how businesses create attraction, establish preference and turn original thinking into commercial growth.

The opening perspective

How Does Category Creation Bypass Traditional Selling

Watch the perspective behind the work.

Watch on Vimeo

01 / Transference of Belief

Change what the
market believes.

A buyer acts on what they believe the problem is, what would solve it and what a different future could look like.

A transference of belief introduces a perspective that changes that understanding. Your business becomes relevant through the possibility it reveals.

The familiar belief

“We need to demonstrate more value.”

The conversation centres on explaining why this offer is better.

A different belief

“We need to give buyers a different way to see the problem.”

The conversation begins with an insight that changes what they want to solve.

An application of the Novelty Principle’s distinction between the idea that attracts and the value that sustains.

Explore innovation

02 / The Ladder of Novelty

Attention is
the beginning.

A novel idea can attract interest. What follows determines whether that interest becomes recommendation, loyalty and advocacy.

The Ladder of Novelty describes five stages—from the first spark of attention to a lasting identification with what your business makes possible.

  1. 01

    Novelty

    An original idea captures attention and creates initial interest.

    Attention
  2. 02

    Surprise / Insight

    An interaction reveals something unexpected: a fresh insight, experience or possibility.

    Curiosity
  3. 03

    Utility

    The experience delivers useful value and gives people a reason to recommend it.

    Recommendation
  4. 04

    Results

    The original promise becomes a visible outcome. Customers become fans.

    Conviction
  5. 05

    Follower Status

    A meaningful breakthrough creates continuing identification and advocacy.

    Commitment

The Novelty Principle · Chapter 2. Each stage is paired with a description of its effect.

Category creation & innovation

03 / PIE DESKS

Make originality
commercial.

An insight needs a route into the market. PIE DESKS connects the problem you see with the invitation, experience, offer and continuing relationship you create.

Eight connected elements take the idea from possibility into a business people can engage with, buy from and stay with.

From the problem you see
to the business you build.

The Novelty Principle
Chapters 6 & 7
P

Problem

Identify the mismatch between what people want and what they are getting. Frame the deeper problem in a way distinctive to your business.

What do you see that the market is missing?

I

Invitation

Create an accessible first step into your thinking: a perspective, demonstration, assessment or conversation.

What makes the first step an easy decision?

E

Experience

Make that first interaction deliver a memorable intellectual or emotional insight. Let people experience the possibility for themselves.

What will they understand after meeting you that they did not see before?

D

Design

Structure the signature offer: the scope, experience, access and economics that turn the problem into a compelling solution.

What is the premium expression of your solution?

E

Elevation

Give people a credible route from their first insight or result to deeper work. Make the next step’s commercial value clear.

Why does deeper engagement become the natural next decision?

S

Support

Build the access, guidance and delivery that help clients achieve the promised result.

What will help the client turn the idea into an outcome?

K

Kick

Initiate market visibility through advertising, outreach, referrals or other routes. Test, learn and develop what creates response.

How will the right people encounter the idea?

S

Stick

Sustain your presence and the relationship. Continue creating value, results and reasons to stay connected.

What keeps the relationship valuable as the client evolves?

From ideas to enterprise conversations

The commercial
application.

Bring the thinking into executive conversations, market access and winning significant business.

Lisa T Miller · Enterprise sales

9 Stealth Strategies to Get the Meeting, Win Trust, & Close Big Hospital Deals

Watch on YouTube

04 / Articles

Perspectives worth
considering.

Business growth · Innovation

Optimization vs Innovation: Why Both Are Key for Business Growth

Improving today’s operations and creating tomorrow’s opportunities call for different approaches. Lisa explores how businesses can balance efficiency with experimentation—and recognise when each deserves priority.

By Lisa T Miller
Read the article

Management · Leadership

This IS
(or should be)
Management

A provocative challenge to familiar management assumptions. Chetan argues for questioning authority, reducing bureaucracy, acting in the market and unlearning the habits that constrain a business.

By Dr Chetan Walia
Read the article

Bring the thinking into your business

What could a different
perspective change?

Work with us to create your Category of One—and translate it into your positioning, offer and commercial strategy.

Let’s design your future