The golden rule of advertising on the web is “Love Your Competition”. Why? Because people will talk about you and they in the same sentence. If you want to be the best, you should be associated with the best. Is your MP3 player a bit like an iPod but does something different? Well then, that makes it a bit like an iPod – and everyone regards them as a definitive product. Make sure your product pops up in the same conversation as your competition’s product – especially with regard to what your product does better! This is especially important when it comes to word of mouth advertising. If people start to discuss you amongst friends then you know you’ve really won the marketing battle.
Unique Selling Points (USPs)
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Get some reviews of your product and compare it with a competitor’s. This is a great way for the search engines and your potential customers to get to know you. You’ve got to create a link between your name and your competitor’s name. Really break down what the key differences are between your product and your competitor’s. Spell it out – spell out the good points AND the bad points. If you only write about the good points then your article will seem biased. Things to think about when writing about your USPs are:
• Additional features
• Expansion opportunities
• Different pricing models
• Customer support options
• Making it clear that your product works in a better way, using a different method
Slipstream
Commercial slipstreaming is a bit like slipstreaming on a bicycle. The idea on a bicycle is to get behind someone else and they’ll reduce the drag and sort of tow you along. Well being associated with another brand does the same sort of thing. If you’re associated with another brand then their marketing budget also helps your business too.
You don’t have to beat them
One thing that many people seem to forget in business is that you don’t actually need to be the best in order to be very successful. The second, third or fourth biggest of a company can actually do “very well thanks”. Being associated is the key here – don’t try to beat a major competitor on price for instance, or they may well just get annoyed and run at a loss for a while so as to kill their competition. Much better to be a little bird who doesn’t get all the big chunks of bread, but has exclusive access to all of the crumbs left behind.
Search engine optimization
Where does this apply when it comes to making your website shine then? Well compare yourself with your competitor – see what sort of search terms make your competitor appear in the top ranks and aim to do the same. Why not put your competitor’s name in your keywords? Why not even promote some of your competitor’s products? That way the search engines and your potential customers will start aligning you with your competitor. Just watch out for the time when your competitor starts putting your company name in their search terms – then you know you’ve done well!
