This positive attitude and approach is the right attitude to take and it did get me thinking about how and why business owners should always adopt an ethical and honest approach to competition. It is a well known fact that there will always be competition, it is human nature. What sorts the wheat from the chaff is how you go about it. The more you act with professionalism the better your standing amongst the competition.
- Bad mouthing competition is a practice that is to be avoided full stop. It makes you look desperate, envious and in the long term a business that cannot be trusted. If the competition is being badmouthed, are they bad mouthing their clients?
- Always work to your own strengths. And always make sure your eyes and focus are on your own business not your competition. Talk about your own business, your services and product. People want reasons to use you, not your competition.
- Know what separates you from your competition and work on that continuously.
- People buy from people - and people want safe. This means having your website updated with your skills, experience. If you have customers who have shared good feedback and glowing testimonials, make the most of them! Always be a delight to your customers.
- If a customer wants to talk about your competition. Talk about them favourably and continue to talk about what it is you are offering and advantages of working with you. Do not detract from your own business.
- Ultimately bad mouthers will lose respect and trust. Bad mouthers may have won some short term gains, but in the long run, no-one likes this negative behaviour and guess what, word gets around. Plus, you wouldn't want to find yourself at the wrong end of the law.
There is a saying, “you attract more flies with honey than vinegar”
Yours socially