Why is it that Small Businesses do not Like to Compete?

In the 40+ companies I have helped with business development, I have learned that the reason small businesses do not like to compete is because they are not entirely sure they want to know if in fact they are competitive.

To be successful competing and growing your business an executive team must pay attention to two questions:

“Do we offer good value for our products/service? Are we competitive?”

The reason executives hesitate is the same reason salespeople are slow asking for the order. Both are not sure whether they really want to know the answer.

Knowing the answer requires dealing with reality, confronting problems, making changes, and getting better.

Executives that build a culture in their company where everyone is constantly obsessed with these questions, will build a company that is not afraid of competing. When a salesperson asks the buyer, “Are we going to be awarded this business?” Theoretically everyone in the company should stop and listen.

This conversation provides the critical feedback to assess whether the company understands it’s market and understands its’ customers. When a company deeply understands it’s markets and their customers, they like to compete. They are not afraid of what they might hear.