Do less than the competitor

If competitors offer four possibilities, you should have five (or 15, or 25). If their spending is $20k, you need to spend $30k. If they have 50 employees, you should have 100.

The pursuit of permanent superiority in the spirit of the "Cold War" leads to a dead end. The arms race turns into a continuous battle that costs you a lot of money, time and energy. In addition, it forces you to constantly defend yourself. And "defense" companies cannot think ahead, they can only think "backwards". They don't lead, they catch up.

Is there another way? Yes. To beat the competition, do less than them. Solve simple tasks, and leave difficult and unpleasant ones to them. Instead of taking "one more step", take "one less". Instead of overachieving, try to underachieve.

A great example can be given from the world of cycling. For years, leading bicycle brands have concentrated on producing high-tech equipment: mountain bikes with clutches and ultra-grip disc brakes, or lightweight road bikes with dozens of gears and all-in-ones made of carbon fiber. At the same time, it was assumed that bicycles should have many speeds - three, 10, 21, etc.

But quite recently, bicycles with a fixed gear were at the peak of popularity, despite all their non-technological nature. These bikes only have one speed. Some models do not have hand brakes. Their advantage is that they are simpler, lighter, cheaper and do not require complex care.

Don't be ashamed of the fact that your product or service does less. Show it off. Be proud of it. Market your "minimum" as aggressively as your competitors market their long lists of opportunities.