The first two months of 2015 have flown by. Have you been checking out your competition?
The importance of keeping an eye on your competitors can’t be overstated. Why should you look at what your competitors are doing?
First, you can determine the growth of your own business. It’s also a way to discover new trends within the landscaping industry. You’ll get a better understanding of customers’ needs and wants from a different perspective. You can see the weak spots and capitalize on them in your business.
Here are some tips when it comes to staying ahead of your competitors and doing competitive marketing analysis.
1) Don’t forget to research your own market before looking at the competition. It’s important to get accurate information on others’ customers by comparing them to your own. You’ll have good research and no surprises.
2) If you don’t already have a Facebook page, get one now in addition to your website. The Insights section features “Pages to Watch.” If your competitors have a Facebook page, you can select them and see their growth in followers and engagement on their posts. It’s simple and it’s free.
3) Check online reviews with caution. Not only are the angriest customers the ones who leave reviews more frequently, there are shady businesses that pay people to post fake positive reviews. Online reviews should only be used as an indicator of other landscaping companies’ customer service.
4) Don’t fall into a negative comparison mindset. It’s not healthy to base your goals on another landscaping company who has twice as many staff members. Don’t evaluate a company with a jealous or boastful eye. The grass may not be greener on your competitor’s side. If this mindset happens, schedule competitive analysis for later in the year. Don’t look at other competitors for 60 to 90 days.
5) Use your resources to give back to your community. Even if you have a small company, you can stand out from the competition by using your expertise to help with a non-profit’s outdoor areas or give a community talk on taking care of your yard.
