ktoconstruct.However,itsrelativesimplicityhasamajorpotentialdrawback:benefitassertion.Managersmayclaimadvantagesforfeaturesthatactuallyprovidenobenefittotargetcustomers.panythatsoldhigh-performancegaschromatographstoR&panies,universities,andgovernmentagenciesintheBeneluxcountries.OnefeatureofaparticularchromatographallowedR&Dlabcustomerstomaintainahighdegreeofsampleintegrity.Seekinggrowth,merciallaboratories.Ininitialmeetingswithprospectivecustomers,thefirm’ssalespeopletoutedthebenefitsofmaintainingsampleintegrity.Theirprospectsscoffedatthisbenefitassertion,statingthattheyroutinelytestedsoilandwatersamples,forwhichmaintainingsampleintegritywasnotaconcern.Thesupplierwastakenabackandforcedtorethinkitsvalueproposition.Copyright?2006HarvardBusinessSchoolPublishingCorporation.Allrightsreserved.