Intersexual Choice Strategy Design
A framework for succeeding through customer courtship by understanding what choosing customers actually value and designing investments to address those real preferences.
A framework for succeeding through customer courtship by understanding what choosing customers actually value and designing investments to address those real preferences.
When to Use Intersexual Choice Strategy Design
Use when customers have clear power to select among suppliers, when designing positioning for premium segments, or after discovering misalignment between investments and customer preferences (Vertu problem).
How to Apply
Identify the Actual Choosing Customer
Determine who has selection power and what they evaluate.
Questions to Ask
- Who has power to select among suppliers?
- What are their evaluation criteria?
- What do they value that competitors aren't providing?
Discover Genuine Preferences
Research actual selection drivers, not assumed preferences.
Questions to Ask
- What do customers choose when presented options?
- What complaints/requests reveal unmet preferences?
- What trade-offs reveal true priorities?
Outputs
- Preference hierarchy based on behavior, not assumptions
Design Courtship Display Addressing Real Preferences
Create investments that address discovered preferences.
Questions to Ask
- Patek Philippe: Customers value legacy → create 'Generations' positioning + archive + servicing
- Bower bird: Females prefer blue objects → collect blue feathers, flowers, bottle caps
- Match display to preference, not to your assumptions
Invest Costly Signal in Courting-Specific Features
Allocate resources to preference-aligned investments.
Questions to Ask
- Must be costly enough that competitors who don't share preference won't invest
- But aligned enough with customer value that it generates loyalty returns
Measure Courtship Success Through Chooser Behavior
Track whether courtship is working.
Questions to Ask
- Repeat selection rate (do they choose you again?)
- Willingness to pay premium (how much extra for preferred features?)
- Defection resistance (do they switch when cheaper options appear?)