Page 36 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

GETTING STARTED

positive. The moral to this story is that there is never a
good time to have a break but sometimes you shouldn’t let
that stop you.

How well do you know your competitors’
businesses?

It is critically important to know exactly what products and
services your competitors offer. How can you compete
against a business if you don’t know what you are com-
peting against?

From my experience with small business, as soon as you
ask any proprietor about competing businesses there are
two general responses. The first is that they begin a scathing
dialogue on how incompetent their competitors are, how
expensive, how unreliable and so on. The second response
is a surprised look reflecting the fact that they know
absolutely nothing about their competitors.

A very important rule in running a successful business
is to make certain that you and your staff never, ever, knock
a competitor. If you are uncertain about the work that they
provide say so, but never ridicule them or their products.
Learn to sell your business on your qualities, not the
opposition’s shortfalls.

To find out information about your competitors is
really quite easy. You can call the company directly, read
through their advertisements, ask your friends and family
if they have used this business and ask them how they
found the service that they received. Once you are clear on
what they offer you can promote your business around what
makes you different and hopefully better, so that potential
customers will buy from you.

Many businesses view competitors as the enemy when
in reality they can be friends. Smart businesses working

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