How to beat competition using tactical game planning
Six, 7-minute fight tactics to knock cold your competition
I confess… I am a huge fan of the MMA and follow UFC whenever I can. I believe it is the best one-to-one full-contact combat art form to date. Fighters like Georges St-Pierre (a.k.a. GSP), Lyoto Machida and Chris Weidman make it to the top of my list. Recently, I saw the biggest upset in the UFC history when Ronda Rousey took on Holly Holm. Holm took just two rounds to efficiently finish Rousey’s unbeaten run of 15 professional bouts. She too now makes it to the top of my favourite MMA fighters list.
How was this possible? By using the right tactics. Right tactics, put to work at the right time, can upset the competition. It can knock complacency off the block. Proper planning and its dispassionate execution will give your brand an advantage over the long-established leaders in the space.
During this fight, I noted a few tactics that were brilliantly put to work by Holm. Here are my few key takeaways along with its application in business:
1. Know your competitor
Holm knew it was her time to get into deep waters with the best fighter on the planet in her league. She carefully studied Rousey’s game plan: submissions (countless armbars) and KO’s. She made sure she asked her trainers to simulate every finish and to help her find exit points if she finds herself into one such situation.
Application: Competitor Study is a key area of your marketing plan and should be the main highlight of your Go-To-Market plan. Studying competitor communication, brand presence and feedback from customers / prospects collected thru primary and secondary research can shed light on how the competitor fares against the competition.
2. Pick your fight
Given the superior clinch game that Rousey brought to the octagon, Holm had to make sure she kept herself out of that. It can become tempting to try an opportunity when presented (given that you trained hard for it) but Holm was successful in avoiding that temptation. Holm picked what she was good at and made it hers.
Application: Once you make inroads into what your competition is or is not good at, you have to carefully pick your set of knives (so to speak). If you are building a product, building common sets of features that most products offer is only the tip of the iceberg. How easy you make it look to your users (focus UX) to use them, is what makes the difference between a product being used vs. a product being loved. Also, pacing key feature release that your competitor currently lacks is a right starting point for your product roadmap.
3. Make ‘em count
Holm knew she will get chances during this fight when she could land a few strikes. She had to make sure they all count. And did she?! Her footwork, movement and angles caught Rousey by surprise. And whenever she landed, she made a contact.
Application: Once you have decided upon your set of ‘cutting-edge’ (I am trying to get rid of clichés, please bear with me) features, now it’s time to make them count. Look at what your first 10 customers (could offer free subscriptions) have to say about your product. Do they like what they see or is it a complete nightmare? What more can be done to improve? If you gave them what they want now, will they refer you to your next 10 customers (now paid)? What is your competitor doing that is better than what you have delivered (and your customers will let you know)? Strike hard where your competitors do not fare better than you. Going after what they do best will only burn you down.
4. Take emotions out of the game
During the pre-match press conference, Rousey showed aggression but Holm kept cool. Even early in the fight when Rousey did not touch gloves or came charging at her, Holm stayed calm. She took emotions out of the game.
Application: When you get tickets / complaints, take them on the chin. Too much of emotional bonding to the product will only harm it when you can’t objectively solve the issue. Making sure your marketing team puts out enough content to help find and resolve an issue that did a few rounds. A caveat: when marketing a product, your communication needs to be natural. You cannot he heartless there!
5. Wait for the right moment
Bringing it all in when you land your very first blow to your competitor could be dangerous. For you should never underestimate the power your rival possesses. Holm made her way into Rousey in two rounds when she could have taken her down in the first when she rocked her. Digging in hard and staying in the game to find those openings to strike is a master tacticians approach.
Application: As mentioned earlier, pacing important feature release that can bring about disruption or change the point of view with which the industry looks at products in your domain can kill competition midway. However, putting your brightest idea first is a ‘straight plummet to certain death’ for your product and perhaps your business too. Your competition (especially those biggies), will pick on your concepts and release them faster than you can say “hi”. Wait for the right moment to garner enough followership for your brand.
6. Make them play your game
During the fight, Holm never wanted to get into ground-impound even when Rousey was on her back. She stood on her feet and made Rousey play (mostly) boxing and Muay Thai, which Holm was a champion in. Sidestepping and ducking when the strikes came in hot kept Holm in the game. She made Rousey play her game when others played Rousey’s game and lost it.
Application: Doing exactly what the big-dogs are doing equates to staying a pup in your industry. Copying what others are doing is the worst mistake you can make. Growth prospects of your company and of your product depend on doing ‘it’ differently. Focusing on putting out cohesive content (be it text or visual) that resonates with your product / brand image is of great importance. By doing this, you will set yourself apart from your competition and be able to showcase the difference you made for your customers.
Sometimes, taking a backseat and observing things as they happen can give great insights into how a situation can be managed or the outcome can be altered. Above points make assessing competition easier and prepare you for the big battle. These are pure tactics, as every opponent will have strong areas but you are always looking for that chink in the armour. Holm’s study of Rousey’s game, her calm approach to pre-fight, training and a great mindset helped her win over a formidable competitor.
What do you think? If you did not get to see the fight, see the replay below.
If you think I should add a few more, please write to me.
One last thing. If you follow the UFC or are just about getting your toes wet, don’t miss the Aldo Vs. McGregor fight. This one’s going to be an absolute cracker!!!
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