Communicating like an underdog

It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you have nothing to lose.

Such appears to have been the driving sentiment of HP, as it entered the competition for the contract to manage Proctor & Gamble’s worldwide computer systems and data centers.

At stake? A bottom line boost of billions of dollars over 10 years. That’s right, billions – with a B.

The competition? EDS – who was literally walking down the aisle with P&G when a bad earnings report eroded nearly half of the company’s value almost overnight, putting the deal on hold – and juggernaut IBM.

Among those three suitors, HP was good, but most industry wonks downplayed their chances. They simply weren’t seen as being in the same league.

Exactly, said HP. And that’s why you should hire us, they told P&G.

In a fascinating story in the September, 2003 issue of Fast Company, HP’s underdog approach that won this unlikely deal is detailed and celebrated. Through hard work, ingenuity, and a no-nonsense “we-are-what-we-are” approach to the relationship, HP pulled the rug out from under the two stodgy giants and earned its shocking win.

In tracking the timeline from the invitation to participate through to the final decision, author Bill Breen identified five core strategies HP employed to get the job done.
And while the story casts these strategies in the light of a sales situation, it doesn’t take much to tweak their definitions into a recipe for more effective communications to any audience – internal or external:

• Don’t hide your weaknesses – If you do, you give your audience a chance to say, “Yes, but...” If you know you have a weak spot, chances are good they do, too. Strategically acknowledge and address it, whenever it’s appropriate. You’ll earn points for being up front and – most importantly – you’ll retain control over the topic.
• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse – Assemble a team of trusted eyes and ears that can serve as a reality check at the development stage. Include subject matter experts, good writers, and those who simply have a keen eye for detail. Ask them to be brutal about both the content and the prose, and listen to what they say with an open mind and a thick skin.
• Bring out the big guns, but conserve your ammo – Be strategic with quotes from company leadership in news releases, newsletters and such. If they’re viewed as perfunctory, you’ve lost the cachet that comes with the title. Make sure the boss (or any quoted senior leader) says something that moves the message forward. Otherwise, leave them out.
• Think like your customer – Features may differentiate, but benefits sell. Like the old joke about voting in Chicago, tell your readers, listeners or viewers “early and often” what your message means to them.
• Show you want the deal – Communicate with passion first, proof second. Write everything with a sense of wonder, interest, and excitement, and even the most technical material will have some zip.

The message? Whether you’re the market leader or an up-and-comer, communicate like there’s no place to go but up. You’ll keep your edge, and you might one day find your CEO on a magazine cover, sporting his or her own smile of success.