Andy Calloway was sorely tempted to purchase a service called “Lead Forensics,” but at ₤140 per moth, it was just too expensive.
So Andy searched for “Alternatives to Lead Forensics” and got a result from A1Webstats.com that read:
Lead Forensics vs. A1WebStats | A1WebStats.com
A1Webstats (₤27/month) and Lead Forensics (₤150/month) are products... Here we provide you with a comparison between Lead Forensics and A1WebStats
So Andy clicked on it and found the article read like a good, honest review. In fact it actually gave reasons why you should use Lead Forensics, A1's competitor. They gave point by point examples of differences between the two and even linked to the Lead Forensics site!
The point is, don't be afraid to talk about your competitor – just be sure you always do so in a positive light.
And as Andy says, Don’t ever be disparaging about them, ever. Highlight their good points and maybe highlight where your points are better instead.
The key is to make sure you mention them a lot, including in the title of the blog or article because you’ve then got a chance of being found if people search for them. Good eh?
And I don’t just mean do it in one blog, I mean have it cut across all of your content marketing. If you create an ebook and distribute it to PDF sites, mention them there, link to them. Create a video explaining how their products work, review them, shower them with "love.”
Andy says this can work well in meetings, too. Imagine you're in a meeting with a potential offline client and they mention your competitor. You say, “Yeah, they're good.” They ask why they should choose you instead of your competitor, and you say, “I don't know, their work is just as good as mine so you should go with whatever you think is the best option for you.”
Chances are you'll surprise them so much - or “weird them out” as Andy says - that they'll go with you.
Brilliant!