Sales is the most important aspect even if you are a producer (I also am one). Keeping cost down is challenging for sure, specially when you are competing with folks who have way more purchasing power. My strategy is great customer support (I sell services), so I compete with huge international companies that offer much lower prices, but nos as good customer care and support. Therefore I'm able to charge more than the big guys, and even have better service than them, and there is a market that is willing to pay extra for great support. Focus on high quality and never compete on costs. Also I higly recommend to read "Blue ocean strategy". In short, stay away from saturated markets, and seek for smaller niches you can dominate and monopolize. For example, if you sell plumbing services, maybe you can speciallize in "plumbimg services for the rich" or "plumbing in less than 24 hours". Don't have to be cheaper, just offer a different thing that is not yet being offered. See "Circus Solei" for a case in point, they have no animals, cut costs tremendously compared to their competition, which was tradittional circus back when they started.