There are a lot of things working against a small company in today’s business world. Government regulation costs far more for smaller companies than medium or large companies, the economy of scale seldom applies so services and products typically cost more leaving margins even more narrow, and when things are going well there is simply not enough manpower in reserve to tap into to take advantage of an upswing in business or the economy. Despite this, small businesses can still flourish by taken advantage of the things that work in their favor. The key to taking advantage of opportunities is to make a great first impression and earn the respect of larger businesses and public when opportunities do present themselves.
The Advantages of Small
While it is easy to rattle off how big business has price advantages that seem overwhelming sometime, the simple truth is people like to feel important. In large corporate environments, clients get lost in the shuffle and it quickly becomes apparent that they are really just a number and a contract. To take advantage of a smaller size instead of trying to compete on price, the use the advantages of quality and personal service.
Bespoke custom tailored packages are far easier to arrange for a smaller company. The personal touch should never be overlooked – when a client calls if everybody knows who they are and can call them by name they quickly learn to appreciate how important they are to you. Whereas giant corporations are very used to saying “No that is not how we have to do it”, a smaller business is far more capable of special arrangements. Most importantly, people are willing to pay more for knowing their emergency is your emergency and it will not be overlooked or put in the queue based on contract size because every contract is important.
Small is Not a License to Under Deliver
The only pitfall to be avoided is to letting potential clients get the impression that going with your business may result in compromised standards or lower level of service. This is where some ingenuity is called for. Making a great first impression is absolutely critical so that they will listen for long enough to make a decision to business with you. The big businesses depend on the wow factor to impress clients. While you cannot compete with brand awareness of a fortune 500 company, the nice offices and fancy buildings that make people listen and take you serious can be dealt with.
You may not own entire office buildings in the business sector of a city, but you can make arrangements to meet your clients in such places. Places like Executive Offices Group will allow you to conduct fully staffed business meetings in surroundings that keep the client focused on what you are saying rather than wondering if you are big enough to serve them. By taking away the big home field advantage of the giant corporations you will be able to make then see the size as an advantage and not lose the battle because of the fountain in the lobby and great location. By reducing your overhead and only paying for these services when and where needed you get back the cost advantage you might lose in other places.