people to tell the callers that they were the TV waterbed firm and then they came in droves. When the competitor finally began cutting back the ads, my account became upset because he knew that sales would trail off.

So, do you get the message? You can profit from other business’s advertising. The same

I’ve been an advertising consultant to thousands of businesses over the past 35 years. During that period, I listened to various companies bemoan the fact that another competitor was entering their marketplace. I asked them why that was a problem, and they usually explained how the new guy would probably take away some of their customers. If this appears to be a legitimate complaint, this article is directed at YOU! Let me tell you why and how competition could actually increase your business.

I was a Yellow Page consultant for 25 years before I started my own web-based business with my wife. I even wrote an insider’s book about my experiences during that quarter-century. One of stories in the book had to do with competition. A large local waterbed company used to run an expensive television campaign every Friday to promote their multiple locations. When I went to visit with my own waterbed account, he laughed when I asked if those commercials scared him. I was somewhat surprised at his reaction until he explained that his business actually shot up every weekend. People would go in the phone book looking for the other guy’s address and end up calling him, thinking that they were the ones on TV. Of course he instructed his people to tell the callers that they were the TV waterbed firm and then they came in droves. When the competitor finally began cutting back the ads, my account became upset because he knew that sales would trail off.

So, do you get the message? You can profit from other business’s advertising. The same

e away some of their customers. If this appears to be a legitimate complaint, this article is directed at YOU! Let me tell you why and how competition could actually increase your business.

I was a Yellow Page consultant for 25 years before I started my own web-based business with my wife. I even wrote an insider’s book about my experiences during that quarter-century. One of stories in the book had to do with competition. A large local waterbed company used to run an expensive television campaign every Friday to promote their multiple locations. When I went to visit with my own waterbed account, he laughed when I asked if those commercials scared him. I was somewhat surprised at his reaction until he explained that his business actually shot up every weekend. People would go in the phone book looking for the other guy’s address and end up calling him, thinking that they were the ones on TV. Of course he instructed his people to tell the callers that they were the TV waterbed firm and then they came in droves. When the competitor finally began cutting back the ads, my account became upset because he knew that sales would trail off.

So, do you get the message? You can profit from other business’s advertising. The same

der’s book about my experiences during that quarter-century. One of stories in the book had to do with competition. A large local waterbed company used to run an expensive television campaign every Friday to promote their multiple locations. When I went to visit with my own waterbed account, he laughed when I asked if those commercials scared him. I was somewhat surprised at his reaction until he explained that his business actually shot up every weekend. People would go in the phone book looking for the other guy’s address and end up calling him, thinking that they were the ones on TV. Of course he instructed his people to tell the callers that they were the TV waterbed firm and then they came in droves. When the competitor finally began cutting back the ads, my account became upset because he knew that sales would trail off.

So, do you get the message? You can profit from other business’s advertising. The same

asked if those commercials scared him. I was somewhat surprised at his reaction until he explained that his business actually shot up every weekend. People would go in the phone book looking for the other guy’s address and end up calling him, thinking that they were the ones on TV. Of course he instructed his people to tell the callers that they were the TV waterbed firm and then they came in droves. When the competitor finally began cutting back the ads, my account became upset because he knew that sales would trail off.

So, do you get the message? You can profit from other business’s advertising. The same

people to tell the callers that they were the TV waterbed firm and then they came in droves. When the competitor finally began cutting back the ads, my account became upset because he knew that sales would trail off.

So, do you get the message? You can profit from other business’s advertising. The same is true for any media, including the Internet. Because this is a limited article, let me highlight just some of the ways you can benefit from the competition:

• It increases public awareness of your service or product (like my example).
• It allows you to see other aspects of your business that might be profitable.
• You can learn about new industry trends you didn’t know existed.
• You get to compare others current pricing and marketing schemes.
• It will make you better at what you do, by making you work harder just to keep up.
• You also won’t be as complacent and it forces you to be make needed changes.
• It gives you an opportunity to buy them out or have them partner with you.
• It gives the customer choices and you can see who is doing the best job of selling.
• If it’s a profitable industry, there is always room for one more business.

Therefore, you should never fear competitors. After all, you are one yourself. Do all the other guys fear you, or do they shrug their collective shoulders and go about their daily business? I doubt that they have time to worry about you when they have customers to service.

H