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ARE_YOU_ABOUT_TO_GET_EATEN
| ARE YOU ABOUT TO GET EATEN?
Successful business people often hate change. The mere thought
of making one frightens them. It flat scares some silly.
They know what they have, and are unwilling to take even modest
risk for greater gain. Their fear is they'll lose some of what
they already have.
If you hold such a position, you are vulnerable to more
aggressive companies. You may wake up to the fact that somebody
is gnawing away at your customer base much too late to do
anything about it. While this is true both off and online, a web
based business can be devoured far more quickly than one offline.
What Is Required For Survival
If you want to continue to succeed, you must be one of the few
who do the gnawing. You must continue to expand your customer
base and increase your profits. While some growth can come from
selling to people who had not previously considered your
products, the easiest and most direct way to acquire new
customers is to steal them from your competitors.
Then, of course, you must hold them. Which often amounts to
building ever greater customer relationships that support them
in every possible way.
Direct Versus Indirect Competitors
If you are selling power mowers, those who sell hand mowers are
competitors, but only indirectly. You can push this further, and
note those who offer gardening services also compete. While you
need to keep an eye on innovations by indirect competitors, your
major concern is those who compete directly.
Are Your Competitors Tracking You?
If you haven't considered this, you may be about to be "eaten."
You must assume at least one or more of your competitors is
tracking you closely, looking for ways to bring those tasty
morsels that are your customers to their table. To win out, you
must move more quickly and effectively than they are able to do.
Else your business will be gobbled up a bite at a time until
what remains is swallowed whole.
Is Polish Needed?
Never overlook your site. Continuously ...
* Examine pages to be certain each is doing its job.
* Evaluate the entire site to be sure it is flawlessly
accomplishing its purpose.
* Check your CR (Conversion Ratio); be sure it's at maximum,
and holding.
* Reconsider your methods of supporting customers to be sure no
option has been overlooked or under utilized.
It's easy to become so familiar with your site that you begin
taking it for granted. Within your marketing plan, make certain
you have the above and similar things clearly underlined. And
that you regularly recheck all aspects of your site and
business. Then ...
Spy Routinely
Tracking your competition on the Web is so much easier than it
is offline, it's a wonder everyone isn't doing it. Doing so will
give you a distinct advantage over all who do not.
Use Alexa which is free. Among other
things, it reports visits to a site by other Alexa users. While
likely not representative of all visitors, the counts reported
can be compared over time and changes noted. Clearly a surge in
counts suggests an aggressive company is doing something right,
and you need to discover what it is.
Track Link Popularity
Visit MarketLeap.Com
Enter your URL and that of your competitors. You will see at a
glance how many inbound links there are to each one. As above,
an abrupt jump in links suggests the company is doing something
you ought to know about.
Take a giant step forward by checking sites linked to your
competitors and arrange a link swap with them as possible. If
need be, create a directory of links as a *service* to your
visitors. Note the emphasis here on benefiting your visitors,
rather than your profits. (For further info about how to get
this done, send any email to
mailto:buildlinks@sitetipsandtricks.com )
Put A Magnifying Glass On Their Sites
A casual look at a competitors site is of little value. The
better plan is to visit weekly and examine it closely, seeking
to detect all changes. Even something minor can give you an
important clue of benefit.
Be Imaginative
The whole of this topic was not covered above. For example,
subscribe to your competitor's newsletters. Visit their forums
regularly. There are a vast number of things you can check on.
Buy a product now and again. Or ask a friend to do so, if
you've worn out your welcome. And somewhere in all this, get a
handle on how they are handling complaints and returns. And
their general level of customer support.
Continue to explore in every way possible. In the increasingly
hyper-competitive web world, big fish swallow up little fish at
an ever increasing rate. You must be the "biggest" to survive.
Not the biggest company, just the best at what you do. Size
matters hardly at all.
About the author:
Bob McElwain Want to build a winning site? Improve one you
already have? Fix one that's busted? Get ANSWERS. Subscribe to
"STAT News" now! mailto:join-stat@lyris.dundee.net Web marketing
and consulting since 1993 Site:
Phone: 209-742-6349
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