5 Ways for Underdogs to Beat the Big Dogs by InsideView

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5 Ways for Underdogs to Beat the Big Dogs by InsideView

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shutterstock_79269589Competing for business with companies that are bigger or more established than yours may seem like an impossible task at times, but it really is not. These five tips will teach you how to go from underdog to winner.

1. Highlight Yourself as the Underdog

Businesses know you are the underdog; there is no hiding it. So, instead of attempting to hide your underdog status, flaunt it. Anat Keinan, assistant professor at Harvard Business School points out in  "The Consumer Appeal of Underdog Branding" that people often desire to do business with an underdog brand because they can identify with their struggles and challenges. As an underdog, you are in good company. Avis, Google, Snapple and Oprah Winfrey are just some examples of businesses that have thrived with underdog branding.

2. Promote the Time Commitment You Can Provide

Your larger competitors are likely more automated than you. Promote the fact that your business can give its clients more personal attention to ensure a better outcome. Many businesses in B2B dealings have been involved in situations where they did not get the attention they felt they needed. As a small or up-and-coming business, you can promote the fact that you have the hunger, drive and time to commit to your client's needs.

3. Get Out of Competition Mode

Instead of trying to win a competition by saying your product or service is the best, try to find a product or service that you have to offer that your competitors do not have. Study your prospects to gain a thorough understanding of what their needs are, and study your competition to figure out what they have to offer. Find a product or service your business can provide that will benefit your prospect, and that your competition does not have to offer.

4. Lean On the Good Word of Others

Sometimes making a sale is all about opening the right doors, and a good referral can make that happen. If you can find a person who has an influence on one of the decision makers at your prospect's company that is willing to give you a good recommendation, you can open the door a little wider for your business and may be able to shut the door on your competitors. Michael A. Boylan says in his book, "The Power to Get In," that people tend to put more weight on word of mouth referrals than they do on other forms of marketing.

5. Pick Away at the Competition

Relying on your own strengths may be the nicest way to make a sale, but sometimes it is not enough. Sometimes, you have to highlight your competitors' weaknesses before you can successfully highlight your strengths. Study your competitors in depth to determine their weaknesses so that you can effectively highlight what strengths you have over the competition.

You will not win all your bids, but with the right branding and sales techniques, you can increase your success rate.