Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry

by Stephen Denny

Overview

Everyone thought Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry were crazy to start Method, a new cleaning products company. The category had long been dominated by P&G, Unilever, and Colgate-Palmolive. Those giants had so much clout with the retail chains that their soaps had barely needed updating for decades. But by taking advantage of its underdog position, Method carved out a very profitable niche: environmentally sound products in stylish, innovative packaging. Despite having a far smaller marketing budget than their competitors, Method connected with a substantial minority of people who wanted to "buy green" but who also wanted high-quality products.

Marketing expert Stephen Denny argues that, like Method, any brand can directly challenge the giant of its category and not only survive, but thrive. While it's inconvenient to be the little guy, it can also be a blessing in disguise. Giant- killers can afford to shake things up and take bold steps. They can be faster and nimbler than giants who are too slow and hidebound to make the painful but necessary changes to stay competitive. By the time they notice that slingshot, they're already keeling over.

During his two decades in the trenches, Denny has taken on quite a few giants. And he has interviewed more than seventy other giant-killers across industries- from software to cosmetics to aviation-for their most powerful techniques.

Our need to work smarter, with fewer resources, isn't dependent on the state of the economy or on any sense of stability you think you have in your industry. Denny's ten powerful strategies will help you overcome stale business thinking and bureaucracy. They include:

?Win in the last three feet. Leverage someone else's investment-just be there the moment the customer grabs their wallet.
?Create "thin ice" arguments. Shift the conversation to places where the competition can't-or won't-go.
?Fight unfairly. Learn how the underdog can turn the tables.

From the hypercompetitive world of social media to high-stakes business-to- business sales to the trenches of retail, Killing Giants is The Art of War for a new era. It proves that size does matter-the size of the fight in the dog.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101476215
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/31/2011
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	274 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

STEPHEN DENNY is president of strategy, marketing, and branding consultancy Denny Marketing. He is a frequent contributor to The Daily Fix and Marketing Profs as well as his own marketing blog. He lives outside San Francisco.

Visit www.stephendenny.com

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Introduction: On Killing Giants 1

Chapter 1 Thin Ice 17

Chapter 2 Speed 39

Chapter 3 Winning in the Last Three Feet 65

Chapter 4 Fighting Dirty 83

Chapter 5 Eat the Bug 99

Chapter 6 Inconvenient Truths 119

Chapter 7 Polarize on Purpose 139

Chapter 8 Seize the Microphone 161

Chapter 9 All the Wood Behind the Arrow(S) 179

Chapter 10 Show Your Teeth 197

Chapter 11 Lessons, Big Ideas, and Where to Go from Here 217

Acknowledgments 231

Index 235

What People are Saying About This

Rick Darnaby

“Denny cuts through the fat and gets into muscle. No models, no fluff, no disclaimer—just hard-hitting success stories and lessons learned. Denny reverse-engineers some true giant-slayings and leaves you with actionable insights. Read if you’re looking to do the impossible.” --(Rick Darnaby, former CEO of Nutrasweet and GM of Motorola Europe)

David Meerman Scott

“Size and scale are not the only formula for success. With examples from around the world, Denny outlines powerful strategies that you can use to overtake larger competitors in any business and marketplace.” --(David Meerman Scott, author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR and Real-Time Marketing & PR )

Jim Koch

“Killing Giants recounts the tales of successful entrepreneurs who started from scratch, became scrappy and innovative, and learned how to compete successfully in an arena of giants. The information here is practical, valuable, and actionable.”--(Jim Koch, founder and brewer, The Boston Beer Company, maker of Samuel Adams)

Eric Ryan

“For Method, taking on Big Soap means moving fast, fighting dirty, and changing the game by flipping the giants’ strengths against them. Now you have the playbook.” --(Eric Ryan, cofounder of Method)

Guy Kawasaki

“Learn why quick and dirty is better than shock and awe in this timely book." --(Guy Kawasaki, author of Enchantment and cofounder of Alltop)

From the Publisher

“Learn why quick and dirty is better than shock and awe in this timely book.”
—Guy Kawasaki, bestselling author of Enchantment

“Killing Giants recounts the tales of successful entrepreneurs who started from scratch, became scrappy and innovative, and learned how to compete successfully in an arena of giants. The information here is practical, valuable, and actionable.”
—Jim Koch, founder and brewer, The Boston Beer Company

Michael Port

“Killing Giants is an essential manual for any company with a habit of fighting above its weight class. If you want to take on the big boys and win, this is required reading.” --(Michael Port, author of Book Yourself Solid and The Think Big Manifesto)

Editorial Reviews

Learn why quick and dirty is better than shock and awe in this timely book.”

—Guy Kawasaki, bestselling author of Enchantment

 

“Killing Giants recounts the tales of successful entrepreneurs who started from scratch, became scrappy and innovative, and learned how to compete successfully in an arena of giants. The information here is practical, valuable, and actionable.”

—Jim Koch, founder and brewer, The Boston Beer Company

From the Publisher