Guerilla Versus Gorilla - Small Companies Can Win
A lot of pundits and experts claim small business is dead. But they point to the extinction of large corporations as if that was necessary to assure a healthy future for small businesses. This is the age of disruption, and the rise of giants is only natural. But it's not because big companies are getting bigger: it's because smaller companies are getting better at what they do.
The definition for "big company" has always been relative, but with more and more people going online to find what they need, this website lists all sorts of options for how you can succeed in a marketplace where big business hasn't gone extinct — yet.
The logic, backed by facts, is that the difference between big business and small businesses is the difference between "gorillas" and "guerilla." A gorilla is strong, fierce, and a natural ruler of its territory. A guerilla is much smaller, but can do surprising damage to a gorilla's pride. Some might say big companies are at risk because they don't know how to compete on the same level as small companies. But battlefield innovations like using the cloud for data storage are helping to even the playing field.
These days you don't have to be an internet giant like Apple or Microsoft to store your data online; you just need a domain name like Dropbox or Google Drive. Small companies are also using new apps to launch their services into the heavens. The idea is to get your product up as fast and cheap as possible while it's new, and then work on making it better once you've got a few customers in your corner. That, and the lower costs of running a business on an iPhone app than on an Android app or a Mac app, means that smaller developers have more tools available to them.
At least one big company agrees: Facebook recently launched Parse for mobile development. The takeaway: big companies don't have to fight small companies for market share — they can simply play them off each other by giving them access to the same tools. It's a pretty crafty move, but it's all part of the new way small companies can compete for business.
To read more about how industries and markets that were once dominated by big business are being invaded by smaller companies, just keep reading.
Articles:
1. "Guerilla Marketing," by James F. Martin and Ty Tashiro in Entrepreneur magazine, Winter 2012 issue.
2. "Gorillas Vs. Guerilla's," by Gavin Purcell and Dan Schawbel in Más Mejores Negocios magazine, May 2012 issue.
3. "How Small Businesses are Leading the Way," by Jeff Bussgang in Entrepreneur Magazine, November 2011 issue .
4."How to Defeat the Big Company," by Roger Grant in Inc Magazine, March 14th, 2012 issue .
5."Gorillas: Myth or Fact?" by James F. Martin in Entrepreneur Magazine, October 2005 issue.
6."The Difference Between a Big Company and a Small Business," by Jason Silva in Entrepreneur Magazine, May 2012 issue .
7."If You Can't Beat 'Em Join 'Em," by David Meerman Scott in Inc.com , posted 10/21/2012.
8. "Small Businesses Are The Future of Corporate America," by John Kuhrt in Forbes Magazine, March 17th, 2011 issue .
9. "Surviving the Age of Disruption," by Michael J. Wolf in Strategy+business magazine, Spring 2011 Issue .
10. "Small Business Guerrilla Tactics," by Phil DeLuca in Entrepreneur Magazine, July/August 2006 issue.
11. "Innovation: Guerilla Warfare," by Alex Salkever in Fortune Magazine, April 3rd, 2012 issue .
12. "Disruptive Forces: Technological Innovation and Big Business," by Terri Kelly in Strategy+business magazine, Spring 2012 Issue .
13. "How Big Companies Can Learn From the Small Guys," by Philip Deluca in Inc.com, posted 09/04/2012.
14."The Value of Small Companies," by Elizabeth Corcoran in Fortune Magazine , July 8th, 2011 issue .
15. "How Big Business Can Learn From Small Companies," by Laura DeNeen in Inc.com , posted 08/17/2012.
16. "How the Internet Has Changed the World," by James F. Martin in Entrepreneur Magazine, February 2005 issue .
17."The Changing Face of Competition: Who Do You Fight?," by Martin Muench and Aaron Burr in Harvard Business Review, March-April 2012 issue .
18. "On the Future of the Internet," by David Kirkpatrick in Fast Company magazine, posted 10/31/2012.
19."Seven Reasons Why Small Business is Big Business Now," by Kevin Rollins in Inc Magazine, June 2012 issue .
20. "To Understand the Future of Business, Look to the Small Players," by Michael J. Wolf in Strategy+business magazine , Spring 2012 Issue .
21. "How To Beat the Big Boy: Using Technology to Attack and Capture a Firm's Market Share," by Brian Solis on Inc.com , posted 10/11/2012.
22."A Giant in the Making: Amazon Has Created Its Own Competition," by Alex Salkever in Fast Company Magazine, posted 04/01/2012 .
23."What Lessons Can We Learn from Marketing to Small Venues?" by James F. Martin in Entrepreneur Magazine, May 2005 issue .
24. "Small Considerations = Big Results," by Jay Conrad Levinson in Inc. magazine, March 2012 issue .
25."What We Can Learn From Guerillas," comment by Rohan Mahadevan in Fortune Magazine , December 6th, 2010 issue .
26. "The Value of Small Companies," by Elizabeth Corcoran in Fortune Magazine , July 8th, 2011 issue .
27."How Small Businesses are Leading the Way," by Jeff Bussgang in Entrepreneur Magazine , November 2011 issue .
28."How to Defeat the Big Company," by Roger Grant in Inc Magazine , March 14th, 2012 issue .
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Conclusion:
If you have a small business in an industry that's being invaded by big companies, don't despair. You might not be able to compete on the same level as big companies, but there are ways for you to compete and succeed. You can start by thinking like a guerilla — think outside the box and use technology to your advantage.
30."How Small Businesses Use Social Media To Compete With Big Business," by Mark Garrison in Inc Magazine , posted 11/05/2012.
31."Businesses Fight Back with Social Media," by Jeff Chu in Fast Company magazine, posted 10/17/2012.
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