Jim's Marketing Blog

Marketing ideas to help you grow your business

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • About Jim Connolly
    • Motivation Master Class
    • Great blogs
    • Disclosure
    • Commenting Policy
    • Help for marketing professionals
    • How I use cookies
  • Marketing Tips
  • Let’s grow your business!
    • Let’s Grow Your Business!
    • Pick my brain
    • Copywriting that attracts clients and customers

This is your main competitor. And here’s how to deal with it!

April 3, 2018 by Jim Connolly

marketing competitor, competition

I’d like to introduce you to your main competitor. And it’s almost certainly not the competitor you’re thinking of.

Whilst there are a few (very few) exceptions, your main competitor is not an alternative brand, vendor or service provider.

Your main competitor is apathy: The decision by your prospective clients to do nothing. To stay as they are. To avoid the potential risk, hassle and stress of switching from their current provider.

Here’s why this matters to you

Most small business marketing completely fails to address this. They focus on reasons to hire them or buy from them, without even addressing the huge leap of faith required by a new client. This is especially the case for service providers and those selling high ticket goods.

My friend, you need to be smarter than that.

  • Explain just how frictionless it is to switch to you from their current provider.
  • Tell them that for their total peace of mind, you’ll handle the whole on-boarding process.
  • Give them assurances.
  • Provide testimonials from people, who found it easy to hire you or buy from you.

Then make this a key focus of your marketing and also your conversations with prospective clients.

Another type of apathy

Of course, apathy isn’t only a challenge when it comes to switching providers.

For example, many people who hire me have never had expert marketing help before. So, they’re not switching to me from another provider. They hire me, rather than rely on DIY marketing and lousy results. They switch from apathy (with the status quo) to action.

And it’s still vitally important to make that switch from apathy as frictionless as possible. Otherwise, the fear, risk or doubt that’s held them back will carry on doing so.

Tip: Whenever I speak with a prospective client, I make sure they know that I look after them, personally, every step of the way. I call this partnering with my clients. It gives them great peace of mind. And that makes the decision to hire me massively easier for them. You should do something similar for your prospective clients or customers.

And finally

Never wait for a prospective client to tell you they have doubts, before you address the subject. By that point, a barrier to doing business with you will have already been created. And you’ll find yourself facing an unnecessary uphill challenge. Ouch!

Instead, take the initiative. Give them the peace of mind they need. Let them know there are no barriers to hiring you or buying from you. Get this right and you will have overcome your main competitor. Apathy.

Plus, you’ll have created a major marketing advantage over competing providers, who are failing to address apathy correctly with their marketing.

Let's grow your business! I can help you build a more successful business, increase your sales and boost your profits. To find out how, read this.

Share this

Filed Under: Business Development, Copywriting, General marketing, Professional development

Recent Posts

  • Why lists dominate content marketing. And why you should use them!
  • The step by step guide to marketing your business
  • There’s only two ways to grow a business. You need to choose one
  • How to be a successful serial entrepreneur
  • I’m getting enquiries from idiots
  • How to crush the competition!
  • The Fine Print: Home of lies or a powerful marketing tool?

FREE marketing tips and advice

Get new articles direct to your inbox. Just add your email below. I respect your privacy.

marketing advice, marketing help

Hi! I’m Jim Connolly and I help small business owners to make more sales, boost their profits and build amazing businesses. You can find out more here.

Featured by

marketing advice, marketing help

Twitter

Follow @jimconnolly

Categories

  • Blogging (379)
  • Business Development (1,171)
  • Copywriting (260)
  • Email marketing & mail shots (151)
  • General marketing (1,173)
  • How to (261)
  • Misfits (25)
  • Professional development (958)
  • Social media marketing (327)

Hosting sponsor

FREE marketing tips and advice

Get new articles direct to your inbox. Just add your email below. I respect your privacy.

  • Home
  • About
  • Marketing Tips
  • Let’s grow your business!

Copyright © 2018 Jim's Marketing Blog

We use cookies to give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok