Favorite vs best

Many companies (and executives and brand marketers and sales professionals) spend an inordinate amount of time trying to be the best.  But in many cases, you don’t need to be the best to win (and keep) the deal.  You just need to be their favorite.

Best isn’t always necessary.  So you have more features, so what?  Most customers aren’t going to use all of them anyway.

So you won a bunch of awards, so what?  How do those awards translate into actual customer value and results?

So you’re at the top of the magic quadrant.  It’s a consideration, but it won’t close or keep the deal on its own.

Favorite is often sufficient if not preferred.  Favorite includes and expects tangible value and a positive ROI, but it also means that the relationship gives you the benefit of the doubt.  It smooths over the inevitable stumbles and hiccups along the way.

You can prove you’re the best, but you earn the right to be their favorite.  And when you’re the favorite, it’s a lot harder to knock you off of your perch.

Irrational, maybe.  But a real advantage for those who prioritize relationships, customer centricity and value over artificial rankings.