We investors see this all the time. An entrepreneur pitches using a deck with no slide for competition. When asked (as we always do,) the response is \u201cThis is new. We have no competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Niet! \u00a0No! Unh unh.<\/p>\n
Professional investors laugh when they hear an entrepreneur come out with that one. \u00a0That![\"\"](\"https:\/\/berkonomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Competition1-300x263.png\")
statement has killed more investment deals than almost any other.\u00a0 It is a failed litmus test for the entrepreneur, even if the plan is for a totally new device or service that could take the world by storm.\u00a0 Well, come to think of it, this is especially true in such an instance.<\/p>\n
Dis you really do your research?<\/strong><\/p>\n The statement shows a lack of research or previous thinking that is a red flag for us investors.\u00a0 Whether you have not been able to find companies doing \u201csomething like\u201d the plan, or you has not considered the most obvious killer of new ideas \u2013 doing nothing, it is a faux pas that should never be allowed to happen.<\/p>\n Your potential customers could choose \u201cdo nothing.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n [Email readers, continue here…] <\/em><\/span>\u00a0 Doing nothing is the main competitor for most products and services, whether a compelling new idea or a seasoned product long proven to be effective.\u00a0\u00a0 Remember that the buyer must commit resources, money and time, toward the purchase of your product, and even if the product repays its investment in a few months, there may be issues you know nothing about that make no decision the right decision for this and perhaps many buyers.<\/p>\n External factors to consider<\/strong><\/p>\n Do your homework!<\/strong><\/p>\n So, do your homework especially well by putting yourself into the minds of your potential customers.\u00a0 Widen your search to include companies with products peripheral to yours, where extension of their product would seem logical, especially if you plan to be successful early in making sales into their market.<\/p>\n If you are raising funds, list \u201cdo nothing\u201d as a viable competitor in your slide deck.\u00a0 If you are training your sales staff, work especially hard on responding to emotional and factual counters to a final close of a sale.\u00a0 Practice overcoming the potential objection long before standing in front of investors, customers or even your board.<\/p>\n After all, fooling yourself should never be an option.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We investors see this all the time. An entrepreneur pitches using a deck with no slide for competition. When asked (as we always do,) the response is \u201cThis is new. We have no competition.\u201d Niet! \u00a0No! Unh unh. Professional investors … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/berkonomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/outlierinnovators.jpg\")
Consider the state of the economy. Perhaps buyers cannot obtain attractive financing in the current market.\u00a0 Maybe there is advance knowledge of new technologies around the corner that makes any decision today a risky one.\u00a0 It could be that a larger competitor has met with its customers, promising to extend its product line into this very niche.\u00a0 There are thousands of variants of the theme, where no decision is the right decision.<\/p>\n