Buyers are smart. They know what they want, and they don't believe the hype. Offer services no one else can. Be the lowest priced. Unfortunately, for most companies, these strategies are not practical.
Few companies have the economies of scale or scope to be price leaders.
And at the other end of the spectrum, in the niche markets, there often is not enough business to survive. If your business is like most, you need to win in the middle market. But, this is the place where the competition is greatest-and differentiation is most difficult. In the middle market, the key to winning is to focus on the one thing your competitors can never beat-creating irresistible customer relationships. Competitors can copy your products and services, and lower prices, but they can never duplicate the relationships you have with your customers.