Who is the Marketer's True Competitor?

Photo by Maico Amorim on Unsplash

Experiment #: 3

Now that I am making my limited resources work, I realize that it has never been more challenging to create space for yourself in the crowded arena of the digital space. 

As highlighted in ‘Perceive the Pattern’ it is difficult to make a niche and maintain it.

Ever since the digital boom, brands are in a race to get ahead of each other to capture the attention of the ever elusive consumer. Be it social media or Google search or mobile apps or the up-and-coming voice search. Everyone scrambles for that first and the best position. The big guys obviously are the first everywhere because of the big budgets and the big muscles.

As a small fish in a big pond, it is easy to be underestimated or even overlooked. It can be quite daunting to look at all the buzz- unavailable ad spaces and unreachable customers. The competition is stiff and fierce. And I am just a small fish that no one notices.

Wait a minute! That gives me the element of surprise as many will underestimate me.

But being underestimated is the biggest advantage I have. It gives me the freedom to try things from a fresh perspective, pushing boundaries and focus on creating value for customers rather than win a race.

I can worm my way into the several channels and platforms available by starting small and focusing on organic growth. I have the flexibility to maneuver my strategies and tactics as and when required as my processes are lean. I can have a single customer approach and personalize my offerings rather than focus on groups and clusters.

And thus, the small fish not only survives but thrives and prospers too.

As cliched as it may sound, competition is essential as it pushes you to be better. It keeps the excitement to excel alive and kicking. I will always obsess over what can be done to get to my customers and how can I be the first. If taken with the right spirit, competition will help improve my process, my outlook and my product.

I have identified two types of competitions - other brands and myself. 

Other brands help me know where my brand stands while my own achievements tell me what I need to surpass next. And so, I infer that competition is more friend than foe. A teacher really.

Better still - Don’t think about the competition at all. But to think of the customer.