Ways Small Businesses Can Get an Advantage Over Bigger Companies.
June 13, 2016 by Staff
Filed under Money/Business, Tech/Internet, Weekly Columns
(Akiit.com) When you run a small business, it’s easy to view bigger competitors as unbeatable. But that’s not necessarily the case. Throughout history, there have been many small businesses that have wiped out larger rivals. It takes creativity and cunning but it can be certainly be done.
That’s not to say it’s easy though. There’s no doubting the fact that bigger companies have more money through around. That, in itself, is a huge advantage that shouldn’t be dismissed. But there are things that can be done to give your small business an advantage over bigger companies.
Offer a Personalised Experience
Smaller businesses tend to be more hands-on than the bigger ones, and that can be great for you. It gives you the chance to offer
people a more personal and unique experience when they buy from you. You can even get to know individual customers if they are regulars who buy from you often. That’s not something that larger companies can do very well because they’re simply too big for it to work. It’s something that you should definitely take advantage of.
Tell a Story
When your business is small, and you started it from nothing, you have a story to tell. People like to hear about the story behind the business. It grounds the business in reality. And that can provide a stark contrast when compared to some of the big, gray corporate entities out there. It gives your small business more of a human face, and that can only be a good thing for future sales. So, create a narrative that you think can appeal to your target customers. Of course, it has to be true and grounded in reality for it to work.
Focus on the Free and Simple Things
Small things can make a big difference in business. And if your small business doesn’t have the finances to compete with the bigger ones, don’t despair. You should simply accept the fact that you’re not going to outspend the other company and think of what you can do instead. There are many free things that you can do that could make a big impact. For example, you could make your website unique and give it a striking new design. You can get vector graphics free online that can help you with this. And you could try out cheap guerilla marketing techniques too.
Speak with an Authentic Voice
When your business is small, it’s much easier for it to speak with a genuine and authentic voices. Companies that are big corporate machines can find it more difficult to strike the right note in terms of authenticity. So, you can take advantage of their weakness for your own ends. You should focus on developing a consistent tone and style when you are writing content for your website. This is something that should also be done when posting on social media. A lack of consistency can come across as very inauthentic. Make sure the tone is matched to the market you’re trying to appeal to.
Staff Writer; Charles White