It’s impossible to avoid competition as a business. 

There’s no two ways around it. Even if you have created a patented, innovative product that no one else on the market has thought of, you still need to compete with other companies who aim to solve the same problem that your product soothes. The difference is that you do it better. 

Unfortunately, the work doesn’t stop there. You still need to navigate your way through your competitors to stay ahead in the industry. At Infoserve, we want to explain how.

1/ Know who your competition are 

Before you can stay ahead of your competition, you first have to know who your competition is. 

But not just who they are; you also need to know what they do, how they work, and whether there are any limitations to the product/service they provide. 

From this information, you’ll be able to springboard yourself into a position where you can take these limitations and turn them into resolutions for your customer. 

How to study your competition: 

• Research your competitor’s marketing tactics
• Pay attention to their pricing and promotional tactics/patterns 
• Learn what technology your competitors use 
• What are their products or services? 
• What language do they use? 
• What is their customer service like? 
• Analyse engagement on your competitors’ content 
• Use analytics tools to find gaps in their SEO strategy 
• Perform a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis 
• Take a look at their customer reviews - the good, the bad and the in between 
• Are they making most of their sales through paid ads or organically?

2/ Listen to your customers 

They know what they want. 

In 2022, we have a breadth and depth of communication like never before. In fact, customers now have direct access to brands across 7 different types of social media including image sharing platforms, social review sites and community blogs. 

They aren’t afraid to show their displeasure. 

If you listen to the needs of your customers, and the needs of your competitors’ customers, you can provide solutions and predict their needs before your competitors do.

3/ Find your niche 

If you’re trying to stay ahead of your competition then the chances are you aren’t the only company in your industry that provides the product/service you do. 

So you need to find your niche. Find the thing that sets you apart from your competitors and use this to your advantage. 

Start by creating a list of your unique selling points (USPs) to find the aspects of your service that set you apart from your competitors. What are you uniquely exemplary at? 

Once you find your niche, refine it and use it as your foremost selling point.

4/ Think differently 

Be an industry leader rather than an industry standard. 

Don’t wait for someone else to find the next best thing, look for it yourself. 

Let’s use Apple as an example. Their groundbreaking technology, including the iPod, iPhone and various Macintosh computer models, have been repeatedly ranked the most successful advancements in their field. Why? 

Because Apple dares to look beyond their competitors and do things differently. They didn’t simply create another MP3 player; in 2001 they released the first ever iPod which was compact, boasted a 10 hour battery and had the storage capacity for 1,000 songs. 

They took the problems that customers faced with their competitors and created a truly unique, patented solution.

5/ Remain flexible 

While it’s simple for us to say that refining your product or service is the easiest way to stay on top of your competition, the truth is that you can’t do this without remaining flexible in your strategy. 

Research has shown that 20% of businesses fail within the first year. 

Although it might not seem like it, rigidity in strategy is one of the greatest pitfalls of small businesses. 

The most successful companies in the world are constantly adapting their way of thinking to meet the needs of their customers and stay ahead of their competitors. 

So stay on your toes, and be ready to make changes to your marketing plans should the need arise. 



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