Small businesses from start up entrepreneurs to single office/home office (SOHO) to independent sales professionals seem to be springing up regardless of the season. Some believe their smallness is detrimental to being able to increase sales. Yet, this belief may be costing them dollars and customers.

Depending upon how well you have constructed your overall strategic plan and especially the marketing, sales and customer loyalty sub-plans, you have the ability to outshine the big companies because of these five (5) advantages.

First, by being only you, there is the opportunity to build greater trust. The decision maker knows he or she is dealing directly with you and no one else.

Second, being small means you are flexible. You can make those quick and necessary course corrections that larger companies due to their structure simply cannot do.

Third, since you are flexible this allows your business to be fare more adaptable. You can more quickly tailor or adapt your solutions to meet your customers' needs.

Fourth, flexibility and adaptability because of your reduced size allows you to be more innovative through strategic partnerships to improved processes.

Fifth, your direct and overhead costs (indirect costs) are reduced. These savings can be passed onto your customers. Since you do not financially support hundreds of employees to multiple locations, you are far more competitive.

Sixth, quality has the potential to be far greater. Since you probably have fewer clients, you can focus more attention on delivering and ensuring higher quality.

Seventh, with your small position, you can demonstrate return on investment specific to your products or services far easier because your price is not elevated to cover all those direct and indirect costs.

Source: Leanne Hoagland-Smith link