Solution for RIM Blackberry by Jeff Kagan Tech Analyst

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Jeff Kagan

Tech Analyst

     

This is similar to the solution I gave to Yahoo yesterday. It makes just as much sense for RIM Blackberry as it does for the search engine Yahoo. In case you want to read it, here is that release Comment on What Is The Future Of Yahoo?

Can RIM successfully compete in the new smart phone sector against companies and products like Google Android and Apple iPhone? There are all sorts of new smaller competitors as well like Samsung, Microsoft, LG and more.

Sure RIM once led. Sure they were number one. But that was several years ago and the world has both changed and quickly passed them by. They have tried, but they have been unsuccessful to date to win in this new playing field.

So I recommend, STOP. Don’t continue this current path any longer. You do not have the marketing magic. That WAVE has passed you buy. There is the next WAVE though.

This is the same problem Nokia is having. Nokia led the handset space and RIM led the smart phone space. Now both are struggling in the quiet water after the WAVE passed.

The Solution

The solution is simple. Reset your goals. Change your plans. You can be successful once again. You still have a strong brand name. Perhaps it is sleepy and needs refreshing, but it is still strong, for now.

Focus on a certain segment, or segments.

One example is the business community. Continue to improve your devices, and your security, and add to your Apps. Continue to market to the business community. That is a natural.

There are other groups. Instead of focusing on the general marketplace, find other niches. There are many people who don’t want or need all the flash of the new smart phones. They make great advertising and marketing, but they are beyond the desires of many.

Capture that segment and grow it.

While Apple and Google and the rest capture the attention of the marketplace, still they only represent a portion of that marketplace. There are many other segments and loads of other customers who want and need the simplicity that RIM can offer them.

There are always two parts to the marketplace. Just like there is pre-paid and post-paid, there can be super smart phones and regular smart phones.

Stop trying to compete in the super smart phone arena. You have not been successful there and you will continue to struggle.

Instead focus on the regular smart phone segment. Perhaps the growth will be slower than in the past, but your entire business model is slower than in the past. In fact you are currently losing. But you will still be a strong and healthy and growing company with a winning brand name. Just on a different track.

This is one of many good ideas you should consider before it is too late. Something to think about.

Other press releases from Jeff Kagan

• Apple iPhone Sales Weaker Than Expected | Jeff Kagan Industry Analyst - January 14th, 2013
• Will FACEBOOK Launch Phone This Week? | Jeff Kagan Industry Analyst - January 13th, 2013
• Nokia Not Out of Woods Yet | Jeff Kagan Wireless Analyst - January 10th, 2013
• Why Microsoft Windows 8 Holiday Sales Were Soft, Jeff Kagan Tech Analyst - January 5th, 2013
• Sprint Nextel Acquiring Clearwire for Wireless Data | Jeff Kagan Industry Analyst - December 17th, 2012