For one reason or another, we’re pre-programmed to fear big businesses. As a result, we don’t try, we don’t compete, and we simply just give up. Why is that?
Years ago, being a big business was absolutely required if you wanted to be successful. That’s not the case though anymore. In fact, you don’t need to be Walmart, Google or even Amazon.com to be successful. Instead, you can be (more) successful as a small business – just look at Instagram.
As a small business, there’s less red tape, you don’t have to go through the typical process of getting fifty approvals before you can implement your next big idea, and you don’t have to worry about who is out to get you – because YOU are in the driver’s seat and determine which direction your business goes.
Unfortunately, because we’re small, we often have the mindset that because we only have a handful employees and limited capital, we think that we’re not good enough or strong enough to compete against big businesses.
If you ask me, I call that an excuse because as a small business, you can do something that larger businesses have a difficult time doing – really connecting with customers.
Rather than take the approach that big businesses always do by trying to reach customers using television and newspapers with non-targeted advertisements, start small and focus on connecting with the customers you currently have on a more personal level. This could be on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn or at local meetups.
Sure, it may require a little more work on your part (and you’re already strapped for time as it is), but what you’re adding to the mix is value.
Not only is it a boost in confidence for yourself, knowing that with each new connection, you are building your business brick by brick, but you customers will notice too because they’ll feel the attention that you give them to where they won’t want to go anywhere else, even though the larger business may be able to offer more products but less attention – pretty neat isn’t it?
So the next time you think bigger is better, remember,bigger business isn’t necessarily better business. You just need a can-do attitude and an entrepreneurial mindset to make yourself a success!