Let’s be real for a minute. Does it feel like your competitors are everywhere? Undercutting your prices, copying your ideas, and luring away your best customers?

You’re not imagining it.

Markets are noisier than ever. Buyers are savvier. And being “pretty good” just doesn’t cut it anymore.

If you’ve been discounting to win sales, stretching yourself thin trying to serve everyone, or quietly wondering why this isn’t working anymore, this guide is for you.

I’ve put together a free resource for business owners who are sick of racing to the bottom and ready to build something stronger.

📘 Download the full Business Improvement Guide: The Competition Is Killing Us

Below is a breakdown of what’s inside and, more importantly, how you can start applying it today.

1. Diagnose Reality (Not Opinions)

Before you throw more money at ads or tweak your logo again, pull 90 to 180 days of real data and map the truth. Where are you actually winning and where are you losing?

Look at customer segments, locations, channels, and competitor wins. Measure your win rate, gross margin by product, sales cycle length, churn, and the golden ratio of customer acquisition cost versus lifetime value.

Example

A boutique gym discovered their highest churn came from cheap promo clients. They pivoted to corporate wellness packages funded by employers. Higher value, lower churn, better retention.

2. Pick a Winnable Ground

Here’s the harsh truth. If you serve everyone, you serve no one.

Focus on where you shine and where margins are strong. Write a clear positioning statement such as:

“We help [ideal client] achieve [valuable outcome] without [common pain].”

Example

A commercial cleaner specialised in medical clinics with a “Compliance First Clean.” Rates went up. Retention followed.

3. Clarify Your Value Proposition With Proof

It’s not about what you do. It’s about the outcomes you create.

Identify the top three results your clients walk away with and back them up with proof. Use case studies, time or money saved, guarantees, or results-based promises.

Example

A metal fabricator shifted from “custom jobs” to “48 hour prototype to 14 day production or we pay the courier.” That’s hard to beat.

10 Best Value Proposition Examples (and How to Create a Good One)

4. Rebuild Your Ideal Client Profile Using the 80/20 Rule

Who pays fastest, stays longest, and buys most often? Prioritise them and politely let go of the time wasters.

Example

A print shop focused on design agencies that ordered in bulk and paid on time. They created an Agency Partner lane with priority preflight and exclusive pricing. Everyone won.

5. Engineer Offers That Win

Stop selling pieces. Start selling solutions.

Bundle your services or create tiered packages that solve full problems, not partial fixes.

Example

A plumber introduced a HomeCare Membership with annual checks, priority call outs, and discounts. Recurring revenue reduced the need to fight for every single job.

6. Be the Easiest Business to Buy From

Speed sells. Friction kills deals.

Simplify how people buy from you with online booking, transparent pricing, fast lead response, and flexible payment options.

Example

An electrical contractor added live ETA tracking and same day online scheduling. Their win rate jumped 23 percent without touching their prices.

7. Market With Intent, Not Hope

Every marketing dollar should earn its keep.

Run 90 day marketing sprints focused on one clear offer. Match platforms to intent. Google for buyers ready to act. LinkedIn for B2B. Retarget and nurture with case studies and testimonials.

Example

A landscaper promoted “Small Yard Makeovers in 7 Days” using a photo rich Google landing page. Fully booked schedules and higher margins followed.

Marketing Budget Allocation

8. Tighten the Sales Process

Inconsistent sales processes create inconsistent results.

Standardise qualification questions, proposals, and follow ups. Always set the next step before ending a call.

Example

A SaaS firm introduced a Decision Kit including an ROI calculator, implementation plan, and competitive comparison. Close rates increased by 12 percent.

9. Lock In and Grow Existing Customers

Onboarding should be intentional, not accidental.

Run structured 30, 60, and 90 day check ins. Offer maintenance plans, subscriptions, or success programs that keep clients engaged.

Example

An ecommerce brand added a post purchase fit check video call. Returns dropped by 28 percent and referrals increased.

10. Fund the Fight by Fixing Margin Killers

Before investing more, stop the leaks.

Remove low margin products, renegotiate suppliers, standardise processes, and reduce rework and waste.

Example

A trade business dropped 12 deadweight products and simplified van stock. The time saved allowed one extra job per van per day. That’s pure profit.

11. Build Moats Your Competitors Can’t Copy

Real advantage comes from assets that are hard to replicate.

Think proprietary systems, training or certifications, communities, benchmarks, or exclusive data.

Example

A consultancy built an anonymised industry benchmark from client data. It became their strongest lead magnet and kept clients coming back.

You Don’t Need to Work Harder. You Need a Smarter Strategy.

📘 Download the full guide or, better yet, let’s run a full 360 degree Business Analysis and identify exactly where the leaks and growth opportunities are in your business.

No fluff. No hype. No rah rah motivation. Just clear actions backed by your own numbers.

Here’s the truth. You don’t need to beat every competitor. You just need to be the most valuable and reliable option for the right customer.

Let’s build a business your competitors can’t copy.

📩 Book a confidential strategy call

📈 Read more practical business insights on our website

Why Sales Growth Without Margin Is a Red Flag

What a Business Analysis Reveals That Financial Reports Don’t

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