3 Computer Company Tips on Gaining a Competitive Advantage

Making a success of your computer company hinges on being able to distinguish your service from the competition. To assess your competitive advantage, consider the advice offered by the co-founder of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman.

In his book, “The Startup of You,” Hoffman writes that competitive advantage is a dynamic puzzle, formed by three interlocking pieces:

1. Assets – These are not just the hard assets we typically think of. They include soft assets – often underestimated, and often more important. Soft assets include your personal knowledge, connections, and skills, among other things. It’s crucial to learn to communicate how your experience translates into these soft assets and brings value to your clients.

2. Values – What he calls values, or aspirations, are similar to a mission statement. Defining your ultimate aspirations can act as the pull of a pole star, to motivate and energize you to better work. Define your computer company’s pole star, but also be prepared to let it evolve as things change.

3. Market Realities – Stupendous assets and strong values don’t pay the bills. You need to adapt your assets and goals to what paying customers need. Research the realities of your market and try to position your company to take advantage of them.

Strengthen the competitive advantage of your computer company by figuring out how your three puzzle pieces fit together. If you’ve found a formula that works for your IT company, share it in the Comments section below.

And be sure to download your free copy of the special report on How to Start a Computer Consulting Business: 6 Proven Ways to Build Your Initial Client Base.

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