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When you're up against some of the biggest competitors in the industry, you need to learn to play the game differently. Dear Jeff, We’re a start-up struggling to gain traction against a few major industry players.

Scrutinize your competitors, and become friends with them, too. You just might partner to pitch a client, buy one out (or vice versa), or grow the industry together. Here's a truth: At BzzAgent, the word-of-mouth marketing firm where I'm CEO, I go to ridiculous extremes to obtain information about our competitors.

Chances are there's not many differences between your business and your competitors. Some creativity can add value and uniqueness to your venture, brand, or product.

A retailer expanding its locations holds lessons for any growth-oriented company. In our previous article, The Secret to Retail Store Profitability , we discussed a retailer client that was unsure whether to expand or close its three-store chain of French clothing boutiques.

Each year provides a clean slate and a chance to grab market share from competitors. Here are three tasks to get you started.

Use these three steps to get customers to look beyond price to see the value your company truly offers I always compete on value. I will not compete on price. If you follow these three basic rules, you can do it too

A plea to CEO Tom Horton to turn American Airlines employees into believers, proselytizers, and champions--and fix up the airline's finances in the process. "We will have to make very tough and sometimes unpopular decisions that will impact people's lives." —An internal letter to employees from Tom Horton, CEO of AMR Corporation, American Airlines' parent company on 12/15/11 Dear Tom, You think American Airlines employees were frightened and scared for their employment before

By focusing efforts on your best customers, you can increase customer value and grow your business.

Your "on the street" employees can be an important resource for business-building ideas. It’s crazy to think that all great ideas need to come from you or from your top managers. Chances are, your employees who are your “feet on the street” know more about your customers than you might.

Your "on the street" employees can be an important resource for business-building ideas. It’s crazy to think that all great ideas need to come from you or from your top managers. Chances are, your employees who are your “feet on the street” know more about your customers than you might

%excerpt% Read more from the original source: How to Avoid a Bad Case of ‘Deal Fever’

A tale of two florists: Same product, same market. Here's why one company wins hands down. Business has always been about competition.

Too much inventory and not enough demand can cripple a business of any size. Let this be your warning. When AMR , the parent of American Airlines, declared bankruptcy earlier this week, few should have been surprised

If you do it right, your website can be the best marketing tool you have. Ilya Pozin, founder of the Web design firm Ciplex, on how not to screw it up. I’m continually surprised by how many people call my design company with very firm ideas about what they want on their business website and yet, they haven’t thought through some of the most basic questions first

Want to be known for the lowest prices?