Are You Playing Home or Away Games? - Smart Business Thinking

Smart Business Thinking by Jim Whelan

Are You Playing Home or Away Games?

When underdogs break the rules.

The impetus for this topic came from a New Yorker article by Malcolm Gladwell “How David Beats Goliath”. Gladwell cites examples of adversaries who won (1) by using unconventional tactics and (2) overcame high odds through persistent effort.

If David had fought by Goliath’s rules (with sword and armor) he would have been defeated because he didn’t know how. Instead, he fought a way he knew, shocking and conquering Goliath. 

In the same context, small businesses need a game plan to figure out the benefit they bring to clients and play home games, David's, rules not away games, Goliath's conventional rules.

By employing effort and persistence, David (Small Businesses) consistently beats Goliath (Competitors).

Strategies to use that bring in clients and increasing profits:

·      People need to feel important and successful. Trust is critical.

Small business can play by their rules: actively maintain the personal touchstay on a first name basis, and be flexible to accommodate the client.

·      Constantly looking for ways to improve. Small business has the flexibility to try a new approach and drop it if it doesn’t work.

·      Know your fundamental strengths and your competitor’s weaknesses. Know your Goliath – the Internet is the tool to use to know your competitor.

·      Social media can level the playing field. Use LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to build relationships.

·      Know why you are in business. Small businesses face the temptation to wander down the wrong road. Concentrate on the outcome.

·      Market by educating the public and establish yourself as an expert.

Bottom Line

When small businesses focuses on:

• winning
• not how convention says the contest should be played
• the competitor is not prepared for the surprise and thrown off base
• David wins. 

Jim is an expert business coach and a respected advisor management and financial executives. He draws on his long-term business leadership background to help CEOs grow revenue, increase profits, improve performance.