| If yours is a small business and you have big or even | | | | promote itself as having more software titles or a |
| huge competitors, you may be laying awake at night | | | | wider variety of peripherals than any super store in |
| wondering how can you possibly beat them. You | | | | the area.Now, let's consider the second point. |
| can't out-advertise them, or out-promote them, and | | | | Wal-mart has large stores almost everywhere. How |
| you probably won't be able beat to its prices. For | | | | does marketing judo turn this into a weak point? |
| example, think about a small business whose biggest | | | | Wal-mart's sheer size translates into some real |
| competitor is Wal-Mart, Best Buy, or some other | | | | advantages, especially in the area of volume buying - |
| huge retailer. Is there any way to compete | | | | which is why it can sell so cheap. But Wal-mart's huge |
| successfully against these Goliaths?My answer is to | | | | size makes it difficult for the company to implement |
| use marketing judo.As you may know judo was | | | | change quickly. I once read that when the captain of |
| developed many hundreds of years ago as a means | | | | a nuclear aircraft carrier issues the command to turn |
| of self-defense. But did you know that much of judo | | | | 60 degrees starboard, it takes about five miles |
| is based on the concept of using the opponent's | | | | before the ship actually begins to turn. I suspect the |
| strengths against him? One example of this is when | | | | same thing is true of Wal-mart.In comparison, a small |
| the attacker pushes against an opponent. The | | | | business should be able to just about turn on a dime |
| opponent simply steps aside and (usually with the aid | | | | or in just a few weeks. Let's take technology as an |
| of a foot), uses the opponent's own momentum to | | | | example. Right now, one of the hottest merchandise |
| throw him forward.The lesson for the smart | | | | categories in America is accessories for Apple's iPod. |
| marketer is to first analyze the competitions' | | | | If you have a small electronics business - either online |
| strengths and then develop strategies that will turn | | | | or brick-and-mortar - you should be able to track |
| these strengths into points of attack.But first, let's | | | | down the distributors of these products and have |
| talk about strategies. Many small businesses think | | | | them in you store in a few weeks or less. On the |
| that strategic planning consists of developing an | | | | other hand, Wal-mart, with its size and labyrinth of |
| overall strategy (or set of strategies) and sticking to | | | | buyers and buying regulations, it might take months |
| these strategies for the entire length of the | | | | to get the same products on its shelves.Finally, |
| marketing plan - be it six months, a year or even | | | | Wal-mart might have hundreds of more employees, |
| longer. In truth, your strategies should be designed to | | | | but its employees are usually not well trained in |
| meet existing conditions and then changed whenever | | | | specific product features and benefits. Again, take |
| conditions change or you discover new competitive | | | | golf as an example. Walk into a Wal-mart store, go |
| weaknesses.How does all this work in practice? Let's | | | | to sporting goods and say to the nearest employee, |
| get back to the Wal-mart example. You will never | | | | "Hi, I'm a 18 handicap golfer with a tendency to slice |
| beat Wal-mart in head-on competition. Let's look at | | | | my drives. What would you suggest?"Well, my guess |
| some of Wal-mart's strengths:· It offers a huge | | | | is that what you'll get in return is a blank stare.This |
| variety of merchandise - everything from women's | | | | represents another opportunity for marketing judo. |
| apparel to household electrics, and flat panel TVs to | | | | Keep your number of employees small but make |
| fine jewelry.· It has large stores (in some cases, | | | | sure they are super-trained to understand your |
| super stores) almost everywhere.· It has a very | | | | customers and your products' features and |
| sophisticated system for purchasing products and | | | | benefits.As Sun Tzu points out in his classic treatise |
| controlling inventory.So how can we use marketing | | | | The Art of War, "You may advance and be |
| judo to turn these strengths against the giant | | | | absolutely irresistible, if you make for the enemy's |
| retailer?First, because Wal-mart offers a huge variety | | | | weak points; you may retire and be safe from |
| of merchandise, its inventory may be wide but it | | | | pursuit if your movements are more rapid than those |
| generally isn't very deep. Back in Nebraska we used | | | | of your enemy."Looking for a great vacation this |
| to describe the Platte River as a mile wide and an | | | | year? Check out Denver. A Denver vacation offers |
| inch deep. You could almost describe Wal-marts | | | | the best of both worlds. It has all the the fun things |
| inventory the same way. Go into a Wal-mart store | | | | to see and do you find only in a big, bustling city and |
| and check, for example, the depth of its inventory | | | | it's only minutes away from the spectacular scenary |
| of computer products or golf equipment. . Chances | | | | and vistas offered by our nearby Rocky Mountains. |
| are, you'll find only a few dozen computer products, | | | | For more information on a great Denver vacation, ust |
| and even fewer golf-related items.So the smart | | | | go to Hanna has lived in the Denver metro area for |
| marketer uses marketing judo to turn Wal-mart's | | | | more than 30 years and is an expert on both Denver |
| breadth of inventory into a weakness by picking a | | | | and Colorado. He is also the author of more than 100 |
| niche and then beating Wal-mart with depth of | | | | ezine articles on a variety of subjects. |
| inventory. For example, a computer store could | | | | |