How Small Business Can Compete With The Giants
0 likes137 views
The document discusses the concept of "Small Ball" as a strategy for small businesses to compete against larger competitors. Small Ball refers to leveraging little advantages to create a better customer experience. It provides examples of how small businesses can capitalize on their ability to personalize service, adapt quickly to customers, hire staff that fit their vision, and participate in community outreach. The key is for small business owners to actively use their advantages in passion, knowledge of customers and products to develop strong connections with customers and staff.
How Small Business Can Compete With The Giants
- 1. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 1 Leveraging Your Cost Free Advantage: Better Customer Experience Via Small Ball Presented By Robert Bacal, M.A. 36th Annual General Meeting - Burlington Downtown Keynote Address Seminar: April 6th, 2016
- 2. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 2 What Is Small Ball? Small Ball is a baseball strategy that relies on doing the little things correctly to create an advantage over teams that may have more power or stars, but are less proficient at the basics. OR.....
- 3. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 3 Small Ball Applied To Small Business Look for and take action on things YOU can do better than your "big boy" competitors OR AN EVEN BETTER OPTION Do things your "big boy" competitors CANNOT do.
- 4. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 4 Ultimately You Want To... Use YOUR power and personal influence to create a customer experience large companies cannot match. People (customers) are desperate for a sense of connection with those around them. Find "free" ways to create that sense.
- 5. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 5 Your Advantages and Levers Lever Small Biz Big Biz Inspiring, instilling sense of mission and PASSION Through example, communication, instill employees with YOUR passion Can't match this because senior people rarely interact with staff Knowing/Adapting to your customers Your direct personal contact with customers informs you Must rely on surveys, data because d-makers don't interact with customers Innovating and Experimentation You can try new ways to attract and keep customers, and do so FAST Innovation often takes months and months, if at all
- 6. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 6 Lever Small Biz Big Biz Teaching/Coaching staff how you want customers to be treated - echo YOUR procedures, values. And WHY Take a hand in training staff directly. Explain reasons why certain things are important. Often need to rely on "training seminars" or brief one shot training Making customers feel special Direct personal contact with owner makes customers feel you value them as people. Can't do it. Or rarely. Building participating in COMMUNITY Your personal connection to your community (or building one around your business) builds BRAND affection Community involvement and creation usually just token attempts.
- 7. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 7 Lever Small Biz Big Biz Hiring staff who "fit" your vision and passions Hire people who share your passion about the type of business you have. Often hiring done by formula, rather than personal Partnering with other organizations Working with other organizations together to share resources can be done informally and quickly Partnering usually doesn't happen. Often takes forever to "get approval" Flexible customer interactions YOU have the power to make exceptions, offer something special to customers Usually RULE based and rigid, and employees lack permission for exceptions Product/Service knowledge YOU have greater knowledge of your service or product niche, so you can be a much more trusted ADVISOR, and so can your staff Knowledge often superficial and advice often feels suspect by customers
- 8. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 8 Remember You have the potential to benefit from the advantages small businesses have, but YOU have to act to capitalize on them. It's up to you, for better or worse, but isn't that why you run a business?
- 9. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 9 Example Small Businesses For more details, http://work911.com/smallbiz Village Bakery (Embrun, Ontario): A happy place customers love to go to, and is succeeding where the previous bakery failed. Spaceman Music Ottawa: Website MUCH better than big boys, partners with the community. California Sandwiches: Family business that has become a legend. Mandarin Restaurants: Another family business slowly expanding via stellar features, service. Fern Beauchamp - Realtor: A man with a hat, and attention to customer needs.
- 10. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 10 Key Points To Take Away Compete on your terms; what you do well, and use your passion about your business. Share your passion with both staff and customers. Make your business "personal". Create a sense of connection with your customers -- create a welcoming "happy" place (as it suits). Select, train and educate your staff so they approach YOUR level of knowledge, and understand WHY you want things done a certain way.
- 11. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 11 Key Points Continued Take part in, join and build COMMUNITY both online and offline. Have your own website. Provide information, tips, advice there. If you can use it, or social media to have CONVERSATIONS with customers and prospective customers. Partner with other businesses. Cross refer. Often other businesses may seem to compete but each has something different to offer customers. Do events. Be creative. Find what other businesses need first, and offer to help.
- 12. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 12 Some Of My Relevant Books To view or purchase, go to Amazon and search for Robert Bacal or click on a book image.
- 13. Copyright Robert Bacal, 2016, 722 St. Isidore Rd., Casselman, ON., ceo@work911.com 613-764-0241 13 More Free Resources Customer Service Zone http://customerservicezone.com The Small Business Advantage Website http://work911.com/smallbiz/