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For years, big corporations ruled the world, and the business world. Not anymore. Most of them are hurting, wounded, dying or dead.

Big banks, big home builders, big automakers, big newspapers, big stock brokerages and other “big” companies are underwater or treading fast.

GREAT NEWS: This economic situation has created the greatest opportunity for small businesses in the past 100 years. You have the opportunity to topple, or at least outsell and outserve, the giant of your choice. While they’re busy cutting everything, guarding “shareholder value,” and their employees are guarding their desks and their jobs, NO ONE is guarding their customers. Is that cool, or what?

Here’s a list of what you have to do in order to outdo in these times and for all times:

Outthink. Whatever big companies are thinking, it isn’t enough. You don’t have to go very far to beat them in this department. In most cases, just think “for the customer” rather than yourself, your job or your shareholders. Think “invest,” not “cut.” Think “value,” not “price.”

Outhustle. This is easy. Most big companies are about as agile as the Queen Mary. And their employees have a sense of urgency that’s somewhere between zero and minus zero. Employees of large companies typically have an attitude of “someone else will do it.” This is your game plan: Get up early. Stay up late. Talk to every customer you have ever had. Schedule breakfasts and lunches six weeks in advance. Let your customers know your new hours start before they get there and end after they leave.

Outsell. Be there for the business and be there when your customers are ready to do business. This means you also have to be there when they are NOT ready to do business. You have to be a consistent value provider in order to be able to earn the business when the time is right and the time is ripe.

Outserve. Now is the time for all good companies to come to the aid of their customer. Now is the time to INCREASE service and service offerings, not cut back.

IDEA: When customers call and ask for help or a favor, before they can say a word, you interrupt and say, “Whatever you want, the answer is yes!” This will make them smile and feel great about asking. Set the tone for positive action with your words and follow it up with your deeds.

Outdeliver. Cut your delivery times in half. No longer is the excuse “The trucks are already loaded” a valid one. Do whatever it takes to deliver what they need when they need it.

Out-humanize. Throw away your computerized answering service before and after hours. And throw away your voice mail. When the phone rings, answer it. This will put you ahead of 99 percent of all other businesses in the world.

Outcommunicate. Throw away the “policy manual” and your “corporate speak.” They’re no longer valid in these times. Any fool quoting “policy” or avoiding direct answers in times of economic chaos is certain to lose now and into the future.

Out-truth. One day the bank says it’s in great shape. The next day it lays off 30,000 people. All truths are eventually revealed. Why not just start with it? The more truth you tell your customers BOTH external and internal, the more they will respect you and remain loyal to you.

Out-Google. This is the easiest one of all. When your customers go shopping for whatever it is you sell, make certain you’re No. 1 in your name, and at or near the top in your product or service. This depends solely on your “Google juice” – not your size. When your customer needs an answer or a resource, they Google it – just as you do.

Out-surprise. Even in these times you can still be memorable. Create a budget to surprise customers. Anything from a pizza to lending an employee for a day or two will be appreciated. And remembered.

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2009 Jeffrey H. Gitomer