Welcome to the latest installment of our weekly blog series, Marketing Trends. Each week, we will identify a key trend in the world of marketing. We’ll discuss the trend, why it’s important, and suggest ways that you can take advantage of this trend in your company.
Last week’s trend was Storytelling.
Today’s Trend = Direct Competitor Comparisons
It used to be somewhat taboo to mention your competition directly in any of your marketing materials. But that unwritten rule has been ripped apart in recent years as companies are getting more and more aggressive with their advertising and sales messaging.
Today, it is becoming more and more common for companies to specifically mention their competitors in their marketing materials; including but not limited to television commercials, online ads, marketing emails, sales materials, landing pages and website content.
Why? Consumers in many categories are more informed than they used to be. They have better access to the truth about how products work and how satisfied real-life customers are with them. So they are doing more research, comparing products head to head themselves.
And companies are responding by giving them side by side comparisons. By showing where your product or service is better than your competitor, you’re doing some of their research for them. And it gives you the ability to tell your story using facts and data instead of more general and colorful marketing copy.
You can and should follow suit if you have close competitors that your consumers are looking at. Start by determining what you do better. What do you do that they don’t? Why would a consumer choose you over them?
Next, think about the best place to showcase this comparison. It may be in your sales materials. It may be directly on your website. Or it may be in ads aimed at getting people to visit your site and call you. Wherever you think customers might connect with that kind of message, test it out and learn what kind of response you get.
What marketing trend should we cover next? Now accepting submissions for marketing trends that we will cover in an upcoming installment of this series. Submit your ideas via our contact page or in the comments section below.
This article was syndicated from Business 2 Community: Marketing Trends: Direct Competitor Comparisons
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