Comments on: Who Is Your True Competitor? http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/ Ryan Healy on Copywriting, Advertising & Business Growth Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:06:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Teresa http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4952 Teresa Fri, 15 May 2009 06:51:30 +0000 http://www.ryanhealy.com/?p=513#comment-4952 Hey Ryan, as usual, you cause me to think and that is always a good thing. Never considered the South West thing before, but having that think out side the box mentality is crucial in this day and age. I think that before you can figure out who your true competitors are, you’d better first realize that knowing what separates you from the pack is the first and most important thing you can do. Why, because it doesn’t matter if you try and sale them on why they should buy from you rather then from x competitor, if you don’t have that unique factor about you, you’ll be just another voice screaming in the crowd I hope that what I am saying makes since, thanks for the post keep them coming Hey Ryan, as usual, you cause me to think and that is always a good thing. Never considered the South West thing before, but having that think out side the box mentality is crucial in this day and age.
I think that before you can figure out who your true competitors are, you’d better first realize that knowing what separates you from the pack is the first and most important thing you can do. Why, because it doesn’t matter if you try and sale them on why they should buy from you rather then from x competitor, if you don’t have that unique factor about you, you’ll be just another voice screaming in the crowd I hope that what I am saying makes since, thanks for the post keep them coming

]]> By: Perry http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4866 Perry Sun, 10 May 2009 04:39:21 +0000 http://www.ryanhealy.com/?p=513#comment-4866 As a consumer, we always weigh costs. For instance, we were looking for the best deal to get to Cancun. In January we found plenty flights (flew in late April and just got back a week ago, the beginning of May) for $385. Unfortunately, they went through Houston, Atlanta, or Miami. We chose a $515 flight direct from LAX and back. It only takes 4 hours to get there and 5 hours back (who knew?) and there is no worries of missing your luggage and having to run the length of terminal B in Denver like we did last year so we wouldn't miss a connecting flight. In this case, the real competition was inconvenience. Looking beyond the obvious has become mandatory for marketers and copywriters like us to stay ahead of the competition, no matter who the competition is. As is normal Ryan, you provoke thought and add value to the world around you. Thanks for that. As a consumer, we always weigh costs.

For instance, we were looking for the best deal to get to Cancun. In January we found plenty flights (flew in late April and just got back a week ago, the beginning of May) for $385. Unfortunately, they went through Houston, Atlanta, or Miami.

We chose a $515 flight direct from LAX and back. It only takes 4 hours to get there and 5 hours back (who knew?) and there is no worries of missing your luggage and having to run the length of terminal B in Denver like we did last year so we wouldn’t miss a connecting flight.

In this case, the real competition was inconvenience.

Looking beyond the obvious has become mandatory for marketers and copywriters like us to stay ahead of the competition, no matter who the competition is.

As is normal Ryan, you provoke thought and add value to the world around you. Thanks for that.

]]> By: Abdul Rahman http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4786 Abdul Rahman Wed, 06 May 2009 06:47:04 +0000 http://www.ryanhealy.com/?p=513#comment-4786 I should steal your brain. Seriously, you're too good to be left on the world wide web. You might steal my clients :D I should steal your brain.

Seriously, you’re too good to be left on the world wide web. You might steal my clients :D

]]> By: Shel Horowitz - Ethical Marketing Expert http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4778 Shel Horowitz - Ethical Marketing Expert Wed, 06 May 2009 02:36:03 +0000 http://www.ryanhealy.com/?p=513#comment-4778 Yup. I've been advocating this position since at least 1991, when I wrote about an ad from a group of florists telling people not to buy their flowers in a grocery store. I started my business as a typing service; my competitor became PCs. By then I was writing resumes, but the MS Word template pretty much killed that. Fortunately, I'd already moved into copywriting :-). Yup. I’ve been advocating this position since at least 1991, when I wrote about an ad from a group of florists telling people not to buy their flowers in a grocery store.

I started my business as a typing service; my competitor became PCs. By then I was writing resumes, but the MS Word template pretty much killed that. Fortunately, I’d already moved into copywriting :-).

]]> By: Jeremy Reeves http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4774 Jeremy Reeves Tue, 05 May 2009 22:08:43 +0000 http://www.ryanhealy.com/?p=513#comment-4774 Wow - how true! I've heard that about Southwest airlines before but this time it really "stuck". Great post Ryan! Jeremy Reeves www.ControlBeatingCopy.com Wow – how true! I’ve heard that about Southwest airlines before but this time it really “stuck”.

Great post Ryan!

Jeremy Reeves
http://www.ControlBeatingCopy.com

]]> By: Ryan M. Healy http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4770 Ryan M. Healy Tue, 05 May 2009 20:16:52 +0000 http://www.ryanhealy.com/?p=513#comment-4770 @Marya - Yes, it always helps to see things from a new perspective. @Joe - On a personal level, I agree. Our greatest competition is ourselves. (That's why I always preferred individual sports.) @D.K. - Thanks for the insightful comment! @Marya – Yes, it always helps to see things from a new perspective.

@Joe – On a personal level, I agree. Our greatest competition is ourselves. (That’s why I always preferred individual sports.)

@D.K. – Thanks for the insightful comment!

]]> By: DK Fynn | The Diabetic Weight Loss Plan http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4759 DK Fynn | The Diabetic Weight Loss Plan Tue, 05 May 2009 16:54:20 +0000 http://www.ryanhealy.com/?p=513#comment-4759 Their real competition was the automobile. Insightful. Here's how to identify your true competition: 1. Consider the end result that your customer is looking for, NOT necessarily the mechanism, the means, or the vehicle. In the case Southwest, the end result the customer was looking for to get to their destination, and NOT necesarily use the mechanism of flying. As Southwest realized, the plane was only a means to an end. (Think laterally, not vertically.) 2. Identify all the ways, or means, through which your customer can get to their destination. Again, as exemplified by the Southwest example, they identified that the automobile was another way for their customers to attain the same ultimate result of using their airline service. It would be too narrow to just identify other airlines as the competition--or, in this case, not only as the competition, but also as the means--for the customer to get what they want. 3. Then, resolve to make your service better in some way. Not just better than the other servcies in it's category (that would be like Southwest only trying to be better than other airlines), but better than all other options, whether they be walking, driving, busing--you get what I mean. Their real competition was the automobile. Insightful.

Here’s how to identify your true competition:

1. Consider the end result that your customer is looking for, NOT necessarily the mechanism, the means, or the vehicle.

In the case Southwest, the end result the customer was looking for to get to their destination, and NOT necesarily use the mechanism of flying. As Southwest realized, the plane was only a means to an end.

(Think laterally, not vertically.)

2. Identify all the ways, or means, through which your customer can get to their destination. Again, as exemplified by the Southwest example, they identified that the automobile was another way for their customers to attain the same ultimate result of using their airline service.

It would be too narrow to just identify other airlines as the competition–or, in this case, not only as the competition, but also as the means–for the customer to get what they want.

3. Then, resolve to make your service better in some way. Not just better than the other servcies in it’s category (that would be like Southwest only trying to be better than other airlines), but better than all other options, whether they be walking, driving, busing–you get what I mean.

]]> By: Joe http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4758 Joe Tue, 05 May 2009 16:52:11 +0000 http://www.ryanhealy.com/?p=513#comment-4758 I believe your true competitor is yourself, always. What you're talking about makes total sense, but what that really is, is trends in your market place . It's a jungle out there, no matter how you slice it. Great blog Ryan. Joe I believe your true competitor is yourself, always. What you’re talking about makes total sense, but what that really is, is trends in your market place .

It’s a jungle out there, no matter how you slice it.

Great blog Ryan.

Joe

]]> By: Marya Miller http://www.ryanhealy.com/your-true-competitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4757 Marya Miller Tue, 05 May 2009 16:51:59 +0000 http://www.ryanhealy.com/?p=513#comment-4757 Wow, Ryan - I don't think I've ever heard anyone put it better. It makes a great case for always pushing oneself to think beyond the obvious solution and see how much further one can take a subject. Wow, Ryan – I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone put it better.

It makes a great case for always pushing oneself to think beyond the obvious solution and see how much further one can take a subject.

]]>