The story of David and Goliath is, of course, a classic Biblical story. Some of you might have heard it at Sunday School when you were kids.

The headline would read: “Shepherd boy defeats giant, using only slingshot and a few carefully chosen stones!”

The story is often told as a metaphor for the victory of the underdog — how a small, usually insignificant entity can overthrow the dominating opposition.

In the realm of marketing and sales, the Davids are small businesses while the Goliaths are big, established brands. The latter overshadows its little competitors by their sheer size and reach. Everyone knows about Starbucks, what to buy there and how much it costs. The same cannot be said for the local café down the other block.

Using Size as an Advantage

Sure, a small company may not have the same strengths as the ‘big guys,’ but that doesn’t mean it lacks other competitive strengths at all. A more compact scale can give a business a different edge over its established competition. Small businesses tend to be nimble and flexible, able to act fast and adapt to changes quickly. This can be a definite differentiator. The company must be able to exert some control over its market, however. It is one thing to cater to the consumer’s specific needs, and another to spoil them. If a small company modifies every single deal to meet specific customer requests, it may run the risk of stifling its own growth.

Pick Your Stones and Sling Well

Before David went out to defeat Goliath, he went off to a nearby brook to pick out the stones for his sling. For a small business to match up with larger competition, it should be able to pinpoint its unique selling points and position them well to draw in its audience. What does your small business have that the big company doesn’t? It can be anything from more affordable prices to an exclusive product offering. Or it can simply be that you are more familiar with the target market than the giant looming around the corner. Whatever it is, the best way to beat Goliath is by capitalizing on your own strengths.

Tagged as: Marketing Strategy, Strategy, Value Proposition