Declare Peace with your Competitors

by Kenneth Vogt
Content Crooner Inc.

You are probably familiar with the phrase, "It's a dog eat dog world out there." Rather than becoming canine and attempting to feast on the competition, it is to your advantage to live at peace with them or even lend them a helping hand when you can.

Have you ever visited a high quality, high service store only to be informed by a friendly sales associate that they are out of the product you are looking for but then receive a referral to visit a competing store that may well have what you need? Do you remember the warm glow you felt inside as you thanked them and walked away? That store may have missed a sale today but they gained a loyal customer guaranteed to return for another purchase in the near future. Somebody has to start the ball of peace rolling, so why not you?

The French entrepreneur and philosopher Claude Frederic Bastiat once said, "if you wish to prosper let your customer prosper." This is a simple and yet profound statement. This principle can be applied to include business competitors as well. Allowing them to enjoy a piece of the pie will guarantee greater satisfaction for all. This is confirmed by Bastiat who went on to say, "When people have learned this lesson everyone will seek his individual welfare in the general welfare. Then jealousies between man and man, city and city, province and province, nation and nation will no longer trouble the world." Bumberstickers tell us to visualize world peace; such an outlook in business would go a long way toward creating and establishing it.

Your business does not have to advertise for competitors or send them all kinds of business to be at peace with them. After all, a fair market thrives on competition where each business person is striving to earn a fair profit. However, there are several steps that your business can take to ensure peaceable relationships with other businesses in the area. These include:

1. Get to know your competition, both the companies and their people.

2. Observe what their specialties are and develop a different line for yourself.

3. If they carry a particular top brand, find another and market it with vigorous integrity.

4. Have a mission statement for your company based on honesty and integrity. Make sure it includes treating your competition with respect. Teach your staff to live and work by it, and tolerate no unprofessional behavior toward your competitors.

5. Offer good will gestures to your competitors such as sharing in community events.

6. Share marketing strategies without self-protecting. The more you give the more you will receive.

Whatever your business, it was your creativity that got you started in the first place. Expand that creativity with ideas to include your competitors. This is the best way to productively keep your eyes on the competition.

Kenneth Vogt is CEO of Content Crooner; a quality article distribution service. He is an established internet marketing professional and respected Web expert. Looking for A Great Affiliate Program to get behind this holiday season?

Article submitted Friday, November 18, 2011 & read 1 times.

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