Stand Up to the Competition
There are some types of products and services where the competition is so strong and dominant that the only way to gain attention is via a direct attack. That doesn't mean you write a lot of nasty things about the competitor! That may actually create sympathy for them and often comes across as being mean-spirited or desperate. However, you can present the reader with a side-by-side comparison, essentially asking: “Hey, Mr. Prospect. Before you buy from them, take a closer look at us.”
In order for this technique to work, you really have to know what specific advantages (as explained earlier in this chapter) your product or service has over the competition. Then you have to:
1. Highlight the specific advantage you have over the competition.
2. Show that prospects can get the same or similar benefits from you that they would expect to receive from the competition.
As an example, you're writing copy to promote a contact management software product, and the main competition is ACT, a well-known and respected brand in this market. How can your unknown software compete?
Take a look at this example of a direct-mail letter:
Dear Professional Contractor:
Stop! Before you consider spending hundreds of dollars on ACT, there are three important things you need to know about XYZ Contact Manager.
It has all the features and functions you need to manage your contacts quickly and effectively.
It is tailored specifically to professional building contractors like you. In fact, no special customization is required. Just install the software and it works!
It costs 25% less!
XYZ Contact Manager is a mythical product created for the purposes of the above example. But if it were real, can you imagine trying to sell this unknown product with a fierce competitor like ACT dominating the market? It would be an uphill battle to say the least! People would reasonably say, “XYZ Contact Manager? Never heard of it. I'll just get the product I know best, ACT, the one everyone else uses and trusts.”
But by challenging the competition head-on, you get the prospect thinking in a new way: “Why not take a look at XYZ Contact Manager? It looks like they have some special features that ACT doesn't have. And it costs less, too.”
Use this technique with care. Once you've established that you may be a better choice than the market leader, you need to do all the heavy lifting required of any promotion: build belief, bring the benefits to life, and inspire action. Throwing stones at the competition isn't enough. Your product or service has to stand on its own two feet with its own set of compelling features and benefits.
