--- title: The Danger in Occupying the Middle | The Sales Blog description: There are only two real business strategies, and businesses in the middle are being sucked into the gravitational pull of one of these strategies. The first strategy is lowest price, or transactional. To operate this strategy you have to drive costs out of the business. These businesses focus on the efficiency of the transaction with […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_128042789.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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The first strategy is lowest price, or transactional. To operate this strategy you have to drive costs out of the business. These businesses focus on the efficiency of the transaction with the buyer. They make things fast and cheap. They don’t worry about being [better](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2014/01/24/better-faster-cheaper/). The second strategy is [caring](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2012/02/16/the-new-consultative-salesperson/), or consultative. It’s the polar opposite of the first strategy. To operate this strategy, you can’t drive costs out of the business; this strategy requires a greater investment in time, energy, and resources. You might be better and faster, but you can’t be cheaper. Being cheap destroys the strategy. Your clients have to care about whatever it is you sell enough to pay more to obtain it. The Internet makes this easier by allowing you to have direct access to the people who value what you do. The dangerous place to occupy is in the middle. In the middle, you might be a little better than the low price competitors, but you’re not “better” enough to make you worth paying more to obtain. This is how you lose to lower priced competitors. The gravitational pull here is to [compete on price](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2013/11/24/stop-competing-against-transactional-value/), and by doing so, giving up what makes you a little better. You might be a little faster and a little cheaper than the higher-priced, caring, consultative competitors, but not enough to make it worth saving a few bucks to miss out on the better outcomes they produce. It’s difficult to be [better](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2013/12/14/more-is-not-better-better-is/). You have try harder. It’s tougher to sell “better” in a world that is increasingly transactional. You have to spend your time with people who value “better” enough to pay for it. If you believe it’s tough selling at a higher price than your competitors, try winning a race to the bottom. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2014](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2014) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on May 30, 2014 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2021-09-17T1:00:53 PM", "datePublished" : "2014-05-30 23:15:05", "description" : "There are only two real business strategies, and businesses in the middle are being sucked into the gravitational pull of one of these strategies. The first strategy is lowest price, or transactional. To operate this strategy you have to drive costs out of the business. 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