Dear SaaStr: How Do You Steal Customers From the Leader in the Space?

According to SaaStr's Jason Lemkin, the key to stealing customers from market leaders isn't being better—it's removing the friction that keeps them locked in. Lemkin's playbook has two moves. First, show up where your competitors are: same conferences, same podcasts, same websites. When customers get frustrated, you need to be remembered and present. Second, do the work to switch for them. Buy out their remaining contract, migrate their data, onboard their team—no extra cost. Most vendors talk about being superior but don't actually help customers make the jump. Lemkin argues the switch is harder than most founders realize, and making it effortless is the real competitive edge. The final note: stealing a customer rarely happens overnight—it takes years of patience and persistence.

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