Annie Wilson

The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things

By Annie Wilson and Ryan Hamilton

Whenever a brand tries to grow by attracting new customer segments, it runs the risk of creating conflict with or alienating current customers. This is the crux of the "growth dilemma." Tension between customer segments can emerge from disagreements over what the brand stands for, who it should serve, or how its offerings should be used. But conflict is avoidable

By more deeply understanding the value customers seek from the brand and how customer segments relate to one another, brands can more adeptly navigate the challenges of growth. By actively managing the relationships between customer segments, brands can avoid the pitfalls of pursuing new customers, build stronger and more resilient customer bases, and unlock even greater growth opportunities for their brands.

For a more detailed summary, read the Harvard Business Review article covering our book.