You Don’t Have To Be First, You Just Have To Be Better

Brandon Eley
Brandon Eley
Published in
·Updated:

Share this article

SitePoint Premium
Stay Relevant and Grow Your Career in Tech
  • Premium Results
  • Publish articles on SitePoint
  • Daily curated jobs
  • Learning Paths
  • Discounts to dev tools

7 Day Free Trial. Cancel Anytime.

Key Takeaways

  • Being first to market does not guarantee long-term success; it is more crucial to be better by offering superior products or services. Examples include Apple’s dominance in the smartphone and tablet markets despite not being the first entrant.
  • Simplifying complex products or services, targeting a niche, focusing on a pain point, and changing industry paradigms can all be effective strategies for competing in saturated markets. Examples include Basecamp’s simplified project management application and Indochino’s innovative approach to custom tailored suits.
  • Don’t hesitate to enter a new market despite saturation; with a fresh perspective and innovative ideas, it’s possible to disrupt well-established industries and capture a significant market share.
It’s widely accepted that there is an advantage to being the first to do something in business. The market share you gain can be very valuable when competitors finally come along. A lot of times, business owners see that a particular segment of the market is already saturated with products or service providers and think they can’t compete. In reality, being first to the market has rarely been linked to lasting success. You don’t have to be first to be incredibly successful, only better in some way or another. There are numerous case studies to support this. Apple wasn’t first to market with either the smartphone or the tablet, yet they successfully claimed dominance in two markets that already had numerous large players. 37 Signals is another company that has become incredibly successful in an industry once dominated by big players like Microsoft. Basecamp has become a wildly popular project management application, which over 5 million people have used. How can you compete with the big guys in an industry that’s already saturated? Here are a few tips…

Simplify

Basecamp was successful because online and desktop project management applications were overly complex … too complex for most small business owners. Traditional software developers release “versions” and, to add enough value to get users to upgrade, they feel the need to add lots of new features with every version. This has a big downside though — over time software gets bloated and harder to use. Basecamp saw that as a market opportunity, and made their online project management application so simple lots of people criticized them, claiming it wasn’t worth what they were charging. But millions of small business owners were relieved to have an option that was simple to use and did just what they needed, and nothing more. By making an incredibly simplified product or service offering, you could take a significant slice of the market share.

Target a Niche

Indochino is a great example of a new brand that has staked its claim on the custom tailored suit category of the men’s fashion market. By targeting a small niche (custom tailored suits) Indochino was able to innovate where other labels have largely stuck to tradition. Indochino devised a completely new production cycle where customers measure themselves at home, order completely customized clothing from their website, and the suits are hand-tailored in China and shipped FedEx Air to customers in just a few days. The result is a custom tailored suit for a fraction of the cost of going to a traditional tailor shop. The jury is still out on Indochino’s success, but they have secured several investors and have amassed a loyal following in a very short time. When you look at a small niche, you can find creative ways to improve processes, giving you a unique selling point over the competition.

Focus On a Pain Point

The dedicated web hosting industry was known for horrible customer support for years. Long “terms of service” and “acceptable use” policies abdicated responsibility for unmanaged servers, and hosting companies charged realitvely high prices for simply providing access to server hardware and a network connection. “Managed” servers weren’t much better — often times the only thing that was managed was the core operating system and default software, and everything else was the responsibility of the customer. Rackspace saw an opportunity to change that, and has effectively created
a new market for fully managed dedicated hosting. They call their support “fanatical” and there really isn’t much they won’t do for customers. I once mentioned something on Twitter about a new product offering of theirs, and within minutes I received a phone call from someone at Rackspace. They had seen my tweet, plugged my name into their customer management software and found my direct office line. He said “I dont’ want you to think I’m Twitter-stalking you, but I just wanted to see if I could answer any questions or help in any way.” Wow!

Change the Paradigms of the Industry

When there are several key players in an industry already, it’s not uncommon for the industry as a whole to grow lethargic, with very little innovation or change. The music industry is a perfect example of this … even as digital content became wildly successful, the music industry still did not innovate beyond selling tunes online. Now, companies such as Spotify and Pandora are challenging the traditional ways the music industry has worked. They have given us new ways to discover and enjoy music, and are even competing with the giant in the industry, Apple’s iTunes. As an outsider to an industry, you can often find better ways to service potential customers because you have a fresh point of view. Use that to your advantage, and you could really disrupt a well-established industry or market.

Your Odds Are Better Than You Think

Don’t hesistate to enter a new market just because it’s already saturated — chances are you could make a big impact and steal a significant slice of the market share from the competition.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Being Better, Not Just First

Why is it more important to be better than to be the first?

Being the first to do something or launch a product can certainly give you a competitive edge. However, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. The key to sustainable success lies in being better. This means offering superior quality, better customer service, and more value to your customers. Being better means continuously improving and innovating to meet the changing needs and expectations of your customers. It’s about building a strong reputation and trust among your customers, which can lead to customer loyalty and repeat business.

How can I make my business better than my competitors?

To make your business better than your competitors, you need to understand what your customers value and then deliver it better than anyone else. This could mean offering higher quality products, more personalized service, faster delivery, lower prices, or a combination of these. It’s also important to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in your industry and to continuously innovate and improve your products or services.

What are some examples of companies that succeeded by being better, not just first?

There are many examples of companies that succeeded by being better, not just first. For instance, Google wasn’t the first search engine, but it became the most popular because it offered better search results. Similarly, Apple wasn’t the first company to make smartphones, but the iPhone became hugely successful because of its superior design and user experience.

How can I differentiate my business from my competitors?

Differentiating your business from your competitors can be achieved by offering something unique that your competitors don’t. This could be a unique product feature, a unique customer service approach, a unique brand story, or a unique marketing strategy. It’s also important to communicate this unique value proposition clearly to your customers.

How can I continuously improve my business to stay ahead of my competitors?

Continuous improvement can be achieved through regular feedback from your customers, employees, and other stakeholders. This feedback can help you identify areas of improvement and come up with solutions. It’s also important to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in your industry and to invest in training and development for your employees.

How can I build a strong reputation and trust among my customers?

Building a strong reputation and trust among your customers can be achieved by consistently delivering high-quality products or services, providing excellent customer service, being transparent and honest in your communications, and acting responsibly and ethically.

How can I measure the success of my business?

The success of your business can be measured in various ways, including financial performance, customer satisfaction, market share, brand reputation, and employee satisfaction. It’s important to set clear and measurable goals and regularly track your progress towards these goals.

How can I attract and retain customers?

Attracting and retaining customers can be achieved by offering superior value, building strong relationships, providing excellent customer service, and continuously improving and innovating. It’s also important to communicate effectively with your customers and to show appreciation for their business.

How can I innovate and stay ahead of the curve in my industry?

Staying ahead of the curve in your industry can be achieved by staying updated with the latest trends and technologies, investing in research and development, encouraging creativity and innovation within your team, and being open to change and new ideas.

How can I ensure the long-term success of my business?

Ensuring the long-term success of your business requires a combination of offering superior value, building strong relationships with your customers, continuously improving and innovating, building a strong brand, and acting responsibly and ethically. It’s also important to have a clear vision and strategy for your business and to be resilient and adaptable in the face of challenges and changes.

Brandon Eley is the Interactive Director for Kelsey Advertising & Design and the co-author of Online Marketing Inside Out.

Share this article

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get the freshest news and resources for developers, designers and digital creators in your inbox each week

© 2000 – 2025 SitePoint Pty. Ltd.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.