HOW WOULD YOU FACE THE COMPETITON DESCRIBED BENEATH?

There is another element that would need to be added, that is opening vistas for umbrella of services around the main application which you will have to SWOT at. Also, open alliances and supply chain organizations around that particular "suite of umbrella" services with good understanding and say fixed time frames you can implement these solutions.

Work on your PR with the client, and be friendly if not friends with as many people within the organization and across functions / discussions. Be visible to their senior management, talking animatedly around some technical  issues with someone or the other so they register you subconsciously, and your front end looks bigger than it actually is (will work good in organizations that allow visitors, and are not too restricted and reserved).

Invite their management / technical staff to seminars and ensure some of   your own company guys are also in the same seminar, you accidently introduce them, and have that other person talking of a similar  implementation done by your organization or close alliance partner.

All or part of Above willnot guarantee a 100% hit, but can substantially improve odds and give the impression your organization is well connected. The addional hardwork, extra costs, etc. are well well worth it if you really want the project badly.

But remember, lot of back-end work would be needed to build and work alliances quickly.  BIG companies can offer these solutions easily but in reality. many work in silos and this stuff of artificial costs, P&L etc. with each SBU work against the BIGGIES, so  very often communication, internal competition of SBU leaders and SBU units work against the BIGGIES.

Alex

In sales, two things can set your product or service apart from the competition: the quality of your product and how good a ‘fit’ it is for your potential customer.

Information gathering with through research which is pre-call information before the actual meeting the client.

Competing based on risk ,client will take the decison based on TRAP(Technology,Relationships,Arguments,Price).

All the above points must be taken care .

Ultimately, beating the competition means identifying and communicating key strengths to customers, offering a tailored pitch, and building a relationship that will improve your chances of repeat business.

I agree with this and would like to add some more points like

1. One should be more visible to attract customers, whether its in marketing perspecitve or advertising perspective, if you are more visible then the client list will grow.

2. Know your forte, like know  where your strengths lie.

3. Finally the Follow up which most of them do not do it properly even if there is nothing happening one should do regular follow up to keep the interest of the client and also to get more new clients with this process.

I would do the following:

1. Understand my competiton through different sources

2. Who is my competitor?

3. What am I competing with?

4. Whats my advantage (includes company, service, product, etc) over my competition?

5. SWOT on my competiton as well on me.

6. Plan my alliance

7. Built a strategy based on the above fatcs.

8. Invest time with the client.

9. Maintain the confidence

10. Show how important the client is for me.

11. Meet the client quite often

12. Discuss other intersting subjects, even if it is not related just to the business.

13. Finally Win the deal