Negotiate Anything: Negotiation | Persuasion | Influence | Sales | Leadership | Conflict Management

Be nice, be invisible—brand leaders pick a strategic enemy and own the category. ⁠Buy the book The Strategic Enemy - How To Build & Position a Brand Worth Fighting For. By Laura Ries⁠ In this episode, branding strategist Laura Ries (daughter of positioning pioneer Al Ries) breaks down why playing it safe kills momentum, how to define a category you can own, and how the psychology of contrast turns brands into movements. We dig into visual hammers, multi-brand vs. line extensions, and the bold decision to say no so a brand can finally say something. You’ll learn: What a strategic enemy is (and isn’t)—and why it supercharges word-of-mouth How to choose the right category first, then dominate it with brand The role of a visual hammer (icon, color, shape) in instant recognition Why line extensions backfire—and when a new brand is the winning move How personal branding uses the same rules (signature look, ruthless focus) Why advertising should reinforce, not introduce, a p