You vs. Them

First the story from my email, then I'll add a few more thoughts.

Trashing Your Competition

It's easy to admire Apple's stylish TV spots, which personify the Mac as a smart hipster bemused by the luckless PC's endless problems. The ads highlight a Mac's pros and a PC's cons with irreverent glee and—some might suggest—a degree of smug self-satisfaction.

Apple can get away with it, but not many companies can take on the "leading brand" with such panache. Before using marketing dollars to call out your own competition, blogger Spike Jones has some advice: Don't.

Why?

• You're spending your money to highlight a competitor's features and benefits. Even worse, if you mention the company by name, you're reminding your target audience of other options.
  
• You look nervous about the competition. Small companies send the message that they're being trounced by the big boys. The result—potential customers will assume you feel threatened for a good reason.

Another point to consider: No company exists in a vacuum. Jones claims, "People are savvy. They shop around. Compare on their own. And, above all, ask their friends what they think."

In short: Dissing the competition might do you more harm than good, and the cost of doing so comes straight out of your marketing budget.

Source: Read Spike Jones' post at MarketingProfs' Daily Fix to learn more.

If the best thing you can come up with is "we are better than them", you better go back to the drawing board and dig a little (or a LOT) more.

This applies to not just your paid ads, but how your sales staff handles themselves in the field.

One more thought on trashing your competitor.

You are also burning bridges. You never know when you might want to work for them or join forces (merger anyone?). You lose your own credibility when you trash others.

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