Ion of the Month: Competition
Someone once sang that love is a battlefield. Well, so is business, and you can’t ever afford to forget it. You’re one of many businesses, all of whom are vying for custom - there’s a lot of choice out there for anyone who wants to spend, and lots of people who will be quite happy to trample all over your dreams of business success. If you’re going to build a prosperous and productive company - however large or small you might want it to be - you need to be clear about how you’re going to outdo everyone else.
If you’re worried about being overtaken by other businesses in your field, Competition is the ion you’re looking for. He’s an assertive, no-nonsense little chap who’ll equip you with the in-depth knowledge you need to make a splash so big that it’ll blow your competitors out of the water. The first step is in really understanding your place in the market. Try to look at the bigger picture, and see where you stand in relation to your competitors. What type of customer are you really trying to attract? Who will that put you in competition with? And how can you outclass them?
By spending time with Agenda and looking at your competitors in more detail, you’ll have a better understanding of what you’re up against. You’ll have to ask yourself who’s doing well, who isn’t, and what the differences are between them. It’s a well-documented fact that you can learn a lot from your customers, but your competitors can teach you an awful lot too. Aspire to outshine their successes. Learn from their mistakes. Take Agenda and Competition out on a little reccie and you’ll return with all sorts of useful tips on ways you can improve your business.
This might all seem a bit antagonistic, but don’t worry: competition in business isn’t all snarling and fist-clenching. In actual fact, spending a little time looking at your competition is an excellent way to make sure you’re up to speed with your industry and making the most of your skills. Your rivals might have been quietly developing new products that you didn’t know about - but not any more! The information you gather from examining your opponents can be the inspiration for a new product range or a new set of services. Competition doesn’t necessarily mean direct confrontation!
Competition is a very well-connected ion: when you’re introduced to him by Agenda, he’ll call on his friends to help you make some productive changes. Promotion is rather loud, but with good reason, as he’ll help you to tell the world about what you do. Meanwhile, Dedication will supercharge your customer care, ensuring that everyone loves to deal with your business. Finally, Administration will make sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, turning your business into a lean, mean, money-making machine.
Competition gives you a sense of urgency and hunger that keeps complacency at bay. If you rest on your laurels, more motivated competitors will swoop in on your customers. Don’t ever take your clients for granted - remember, they have a lot of choice. By working with Agenda and making Competition a member of your team, you’ll be fired up and ready to take on everything the market can throw at you!
