Guerilla Spying

[B. Newman]

I guess I just won't ever learn...
This is from a weekly newsletter I get.

GUERRILLA SPYING

A mandatory weapon in a guerrilla's arsenal is a clear picture of reality. Reality? What's that? It's the difference between the way you are conducting business compared with the way your competitors are conducting their business.

The whole idea is to do absolutely everything better than your competitors. But how the heck can you accomplish that? Answer: by spying. Guerrillas spy on their competitors, their industry, and especially, themselves. Just realize that business information is more plentiful than ever and that your competitors aren't really dummies. They're getting smarter every day, and the only way you're going to know how you measure up to them is by actively engaging in regular spying.

Guerrillas know in their bones that the truth is a valuable ally. Truth-finding is a painful job, especially when you learn that you are falling behind, but the opportunities to make your company the best make up for the pain. Here are five ways that you can snazz up your snooping:

1 Order something. Buy something from yourself. Buy something from some of your competitors. Do it by phone or mail or in person. Keep an eagle eye for the smoothness or rough edges in the entire process. There will be more differences than you think. And you've got to do what you must to surpass your competition in all areas. Note especially when they do their follow-up. Bet you can do it faster.


2 Visit your competitors. You yourself, or your trusted co-spy should visit your place as a customer might do it, and then visit the premises of your competitors. Note the little details that win or lose prospects. Keep in mind that all of them are probably nuclear-powered details.


3 Phone your competitors. Focus on the personality and attitude of the person who answers the phone. If it's warmer and more friendly than the person who answers your phone, teach your phone-answerer how to do it.


4 Request something. Maybe it will be a price list or a brochure. See how your request is fulfilled, concentrating on speed and follow-up. Do you handle requests as professionally as your competition? If you're a guerrilla, you handle them with more aplomb than anyone around.


5 Compare everything. Look through the eyes of your prospect and compare your and your competitors' service, pricing, packaging, people, selection, follow-up, signs, quality, delivery and attitude. Guerrillas know they compete in many arenas and must be the superior entry at all times. Only spying will give you honest feedback on how you're doing. The opposite of a spy is an ostrich.


6 Buy something. It always helps you to own the product or use the service of your competitors, because owning is the essence of down-and-dirty spying and enables you to spot your own deficiencies as well as your own advantages. If your competition is a public company, buy a share of stock so that you can spy by means of their annual report and shareholder meeting.


Be prepared, if you're to be a serious guerrilla spy, to face up to some awful truths about your company. There's a tiny chance that you're doing everything better than your competitors, but if you spy properly and learn from your espionage, there's a great chance. Once you've completed your spying, react to what you've learned. Guerrilla spies don't have to cheat, don't have to peek, don't have to engage in sabotage. All they have to do is observe keenly, keep their minds open, and be committed to improving.

Copyright 2003, Guerrilla Marketing Association

Have a wonderful and profitable week!
By Jay Conrad Levinson
Author, "Guerrilla Marketing" series of books
Over 14 million sold; now in 39 languages
The best-selling marketing series in history
http://www.guerrillamarketingassociation.com


Betty

[Ron Eggers]

That's interesting, Betty. Really, it is.

Recognizing that the Big Boxes are not our only competitors, we've had some discussions about customers migrating between BBs and smaller, specialty framers.

The assumption seems to be that the BBs might break the ice and get someone started as a framing customer but that, once they've had a taste of what WE can do for them, they never go back.

We like to believe that any migration is a one-way street - going our way.

Lately, I've been giving some thought to some reasons why one of MY customers might go to a Big Box for framing - reasons not necessarily related to marketing or pricing.

It's not a pleasant thought process. Maybe later I'll share some of my conclusions.

[Bob Carter]

Thanks, Betty. This is great stuff and I am so glad someone else is finally saying just how important this type of research is.

I used to tout shopping the competition and was generallly crticized for this "invasion". So much that I changed the name to doing "market research".

The entire purpose is not to reinforce what we THINK we do better, but to try and find what they REALLY DO better.

It's important information and we all need to be reminded of it on occassion.

But, how many of us really take the time to do this important task?

[MAX]

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."


- Sun Tzu, The Art Of War

[Meghan MacMillan]

I have friends and family who "shop" for me every once in a while. I've tried to do it myself, but I have trouble either pretending I don't know any more about framing than the average customer or going too far with the pretense. "Yeah, I was thinking of having one of those um, cardboard thingies on it. Could it be Red?"

Around this time of year I like to call around locally and check on turnaround times.

Item 2 is the one I probably do the most of. Years ago in a seminar (I think with Nona P. but it was several years ago and I could be wrong about that)we were given a handout with a checklist to go over when walking into our own shops through the front door. I have to enter routinely through the back to deal with the alarm, but at least once a week I unlock and then go out and come back in the front. I also just look over my nearest competitors pretty regularly, just comparing appearances.

Thanks for posting, Betty.

[Jim A]

Looking at competition is extremely important, but we must also look at ourselves. Things we see everyday don't catch our attention; because, we see it everyday. Some examples are: Is the entrance clean and welcoming. Is the counter clean and organized. Is the backroom neat. Is your business a place the customer wants to come into to shop or does it make them uncomfortable. Take a good look at yourself as if this is the first time you enter your business. Do the same with your competitors and see what you find. What can we do differently or better; because, things are constantly changing for the better or worse and what are we doing to correct this. Competition is important and very educating if we truly look at ourselves as well. Big boxes and small shop all have problems or "opportunities" as I like to call them. So don't complain about the Big boxes go out and see what they are doing right and wrong. Take the good and avoid the bad.