Stop Blaming the Market: Your Competitors Are Winning Because They’re Better

It’s an easy excuse: “The market is down,” “Customers just aren’t buying right now,” or “The economy is tough.” While external factors can certainly play a role in business challenges, they’re rarely the whole story. If your competitors are thriving while you’re struggling, the truth might be hard to hear: it’s not the market—it’s you.

This isn’t about pointing fingers; it’s about taking accountability. By recognising where you’re falling short, you can focus on improving what really matters and set yourself up for success, no matter the market conditions.

The Accountability Gap

Blaming external factors can be comforting because it takes the pressure off. But that comfort is a trap. When you shift responsibility away from your business, you lose the power to fix what’s broken. Meanwhile, your competitors are capitalising on opportunities, adapting to challenges, and outperforming you.

Let’s look back at the COVID-19 pandemic. Many small Australian hospitality businesses thrived because they pivoted to delivery models, enhanced their digital presence, and adapted their offerings to meet customer needs. The ones that failed often clung to pre-pandemic practices or waited for conditions to improve. The difference wasn’t the market; it was the mindset.

I saw this firsthand with clients at Click Click Media. Businesses that leaned into change and asked, “What can we control?” were the ones that grew. Those who didn’t? Well, let’s just say their competitors were happy to welcome their customers.

What Successful Businesses Do Differently

Thriving businesses aren’t waiting for the perfect conditions. They’re actively creating them by:

1. Listening to Customers:
   
   • Are you truly meeting your customers’ needs, or are you assuming you know what they want? Businesses that regularly seek feedback and act on it stay ahead.
2. Improving Operations:
   
   • Are your processes efficient? Are you delivering consistently? Businesses that streamline operations to enhance reliability build trust and repeat business.
3. Investing in Their Teams:
   
   • Are your staff empowered to deliver their best? Training and engaging employees lead to better service and stronger results.

Case Study: Butterbing Cookies

Butterbing Cookies, a Melbourne-based small business, turned a humble product into a cult favourite. By focusing on consistent quality, leveraging social media, and building strong wholesale relationships, Butterbing has grown its presence in cafes across the country and built a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel (Source: Broadsheet).

Butterbing didn’t reinvent the cookie; they just made it better. They listened to their customers, refined their product, and focused on delivering an experience that their competitors couldn’t match.

Stop the Blame Game, Start the Improvement Cycle

When your business isn’t performing, here are three steps to take:

1. Identify the Problem Areas:
   
   • Be brutally honest about where you’re underperforming. Is it your product quality? Your customer service? Your marketing? Recognising the issue is the first step to fixing it.
2. Learn from Competitors:
   
   • What are your competitors doing better than you? Study their strategies, and don’t be afraid to adapt what works. Remember, imitation isn’t weakness—it’s strategy.
3. Take Action:
   
   • Commit to real, measurable changes. Set clear goals, track your progress, and don’t be afraid to pivot if something isn’t working.

Case Study: Piccolo Me

Piccolo Me started as a single coffee shop in Sydney and has since grown into a franchise with over 20 locations. How? By continuously evolving. During quieter periods, they didn’t blame the market—they doubled down on marketing, created unique menu items that generated buzz, and fostered strong relationships with franchisees. Today, they’re a go-to name in Australia’s competitive café scene (Source: Hospitality Magazine).

Take the Tough-Love Approach

It’s easy to blame the market for your struggles. It’s harder—but infinitely more rewarding—to take responsibility and act. By focusing on what you can control, you’ll not only weather tough times but come out stronger.

At Click Click Media, we often remind clients that excuses don’t generate leads. Execution does. Whether it’s tweaking a campaign, rethinking messaging, or investing in better customer service, the businesses willing to adapt are the ones that win.

Action Plan: How to Outperform Your Competitors

Here’s a practical plan to start making changes in your business today:

1. Conduct a Self-Audit:
   
   • Review your customer feedback and identify recurring complaints or suggestions.
   • Assess your operations to pinpoint inefficiencies or inconsistencies.
   • Evaluate your marketing efforts—are you communicating effectively with your target audience?
2. Learn from the Competition:
   
   • Research competitors who are performing well. What are they doing differently? Are their products, services, or customer experiences setting them apart?
   • Look for gaps in the market they might not be addressing, and find ways to fill those gaps with your offerings.
3. Engage Your Team:
   
   • Host a brainstorming session with your employees to identify areas for improvement.
   • Provide training to ensure your team is equipped to deliver top-notch service or products.
   • Foster a culture of accountability and reward initiative.
4. Improve Customer Experience:
   
   • Simplify and streamline your customer journey, from discovery to purchase.
   • Focus on solving problems quickly and following up to ensure satisfaction.
   • Personalise interactions wherever possible to build loyalty.
5. Set SMART Goals:
   
   • Create Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) objectives for the changes you want to implement.
   • Regularly review these goals and track progress to stay on course.
6. Test and Adapt:
   
   • Experiment with new strategies or ideas, but start small to minimise risks.
   • Use data to measure the success of changes and pivot if necessary.
   • Stay agile—your ability to adapt quickly can give you an edge over slower competitors.

Control What You Can

Your competitors aren’t waiting for things to get better. They’re making their businesses better. It’s time to do the same. By focusing on what you can control—your processes, your customer service, your team—you’ll not only survive tough markets but thrive in them.

Blaming the market might make you feel better, but improving your business will make you stronger. Take the hard look, make the tough changes, and reap the rewards.