In this book, Al Ries, a renowned marketing expert and author, argues that the secret to a company's continued growth and prosperity is focus. He explains that many companies fail because they lose sight of their core products and customers, and succumb to the temptation of diversification into unrelated businesses.

Ries shows that in industry after industry, it is the companies that resist diversification, and focus instead on owning a category in consumers' minds, that dominate their markets. He cites examples such as Coca-Cola, Volvo, Sun Microsystems, and Little Caesars, which have achieved success by sticking to their core competencies and creating strong brands.

He also warns against the dangers of line extension, which dilutes a brand's identity and confuses consumers. He advises companies to narrow their focus and create sub-brands for different segments of the market. For example, Marriott has created different hotel brands such as Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Ritz-Carlton to cater to different types of travelers.

Ries offers solid guidance on how to get focused and how to stay focused, laying out a workable blueprint for any company's evolution that will increase market share and shareholder value while ensuring future success. He covers topics such as how to identify your core business, how to create a vision statement, how to conduct a focus audit, how to deal with resistance from within and outside the organization, and how to manage change.

Focus is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn how to create a clear and compelling strategy for their company or brand. It will help you avoid the pitfalls of diversification and line extension, and instead leverage your strengths and differentiate yourself from your competitors.

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Buy it here: Focus