It’s hard to compete against your competitors if you just follow what they do. Whether your competitors are cutting prices, enhancing quality, or aggressive marketing, if you are just following what your competitors are dictating, you can never catch up. Do the opposite of what your competitors are doing and become good at it to distinguish yourself.
If your competitor focuses on quality, focus on quantity. If your competitor focuses on cheap pricing, make it expensive and luxurious. Reverse what your competitors are doing to indirectly compete against them. This is the best way to distinguish your brand and compete effectively.
Many businesses fail to recognize that they need to be different in order to indirectly and effectively compete against competitors. Many businesses do whatever the competition dictates which results in massive loss in resources and a brand that cannot distinguishes itself. Be unique and distinguish your brand through your differences.
Never follow what your competitors are doing. You may want to know their next move, but don’t copy them for you are just being their shadow. Be creative and unique by doing things that your competitors lack on to compete with them indirectly.
5 Comments
I think Seth Godin’s analogy of a Purple Cow is great - so why do so many businesses just wobble along being “me toos”?
Saw you over at Small Business Trends. I have tried many times to copy what others do but have found it never works for me as good as it does for them. It’s true, I have the most success when my products are more unique than my competitors. Plus it’s fun to be a creative thinker!
First of all, damn, I haven’t been here for a while!
Secondly, you shouldn’t look at them as your competition, more like allies that will motivate you in one way or another.
Jay
DatMoney.com
John- This video on Seth Godin’s talk about “being remarkable” during the 2003 TED is awesome. You need to check it out http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/28
I guess businesses are lazy and just want to copy. Copying can be pretty easy.
Amanda- Indeed! Thanks for visiting my blog =). You have some great products there =D. You need to get rid of the google ads on the homepage though because you are selling products and having those ads will increase the chances that they will shop there instead of you.
Jay- Welcome back! Good analogy: however, keep your friends close but your enemies closer! So treat them as competitors so you can be closer to them maybe?
I try to be unique — just like everyone else!