Why Your Competitors Are Beating You Online
Are your competitors just leagues ahead of you? Despite competing on an even playing field, have they got a bigger audience and do they just seem to appear everywhere? The truth is that they’re not doing anything that you couldn’t do. They’re just using a few tools that you haven’t got a handle on yet. These are the tools that can help you catch up and even surpass the most serious of foes.
They have a unique promise
If your competitors not spending tons of money on marketing but they’re still getting more customers than you, it might be because they’re offering something you’re not. You could very well be offering something unique as well. But the problem might be that you’re not making it part of the message. If you have a unique selling point, then make it the core of a unique marketing strategy.
They’re growing a community, not just a revenue stream
You need to look at the conversations you’re having in your online communities, such as on social media. If you’re just talking about what you offer and why people should buy from you, people will see your channels solely as a marketing tool. Instead, be open to having conversations that are seemingly irrelevant to the business. Talk to people like they’re people, not just walking dollar signs.
They fight for visibility
If they’re first in search engine searches for your industry, appearing on more blogs, and have a bigger presence, there’s a reason. It’s not just because of what they’re offering, it’s because they’re playing the optics game. SEO services, reaching out to blogs and spending more time networking could give you access to the exact same kind of visibility. You just have to be willing to make visibility the aim of the game.
They analyze themselves
No marketing message, no social media strategy, and no site will be successful if they remain static. They have to keep evolving, finding their best points and replicating them. Conversion rate optimization can help you build a better site out of its most effective elements. Social media management tools help you identify the messaging that gets the strongest response. Be like the caterpillar, shedding its cocoon to reveal the butterfly beneath. Only you have to keep shedding cocoon after cocoon to keep evolving your online presence.
They have something to say
Besides having conversations on social media, setting yourself up as an expert with content marketing is something that a lot of businesses haven’t nailed yet. If your competitors know how to create, host and disseminate good content, they’re improving their search engine results, their brand, and the value their business offers customers immediately. Content marketing is one of the easiest ways to build referrals, so don’t ignore it.
You implement all the points above and you’re still having trouble. The truth might be that they’re simply willing to spend more money than you. When that’s the case, you need to think about differentiating yourself first and foremost. You might not be able to go bigger than them, but you can go smarter.
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