One of the most important determinants is guild activity level. No strategy will help if the opponent has a significantly more active guild. Just a handful of members who sign up contributing roster to the matchmaking algorithm not setting defence or attacking can be a detriment. Some higher performing guilds have strict rules on not signing up if you are too busy to show up.
Other things which may help, is to have a list of good counters to popular defences to help those less confident in PVP. Gentle push towards TW omi’s and meta datacrons. And walls which require similar counters to exhaust and stall the opponent.