"The world is changing very fast. Big will not beat small anymore. It will be the fast beating the slow."-Rupert Murdoch
The most successful companies continually transform themselves to remain competitive in a constantly changing marketplace. Automakers change models every year, fast-food restaurants change their menus to reflect the changing tastes of consumers, and computer and tablet manufacturers continue to make their products faster, lighter and cheaper.
Be forewarned, being first to market with the newest product or best service won't ensure you become a market leader if your sales process is old and in need of a transformation. Consider these examples of how smaller companies have embraced the new buying process and used it to their advantage.
Look at the way business computers have been marketed and sold over the past 25 years. When first released, business PCs were sold either by large computer manufacturers or "Value Added Resellers" that were authorized by the manufacturer. Computer resellers sometimes had storefronts, but most transactions occurred at the client's office. The sellers controlled the selling process by having a salesperson make calls on the IT or purchasing department. None of the "big boys" ever thought that a corporate client would consider buying their products from a non-tier one manufacturer. Dell proved them completely wrong.