The way you talk about your competitors tells prospects and clients a lot about your company and the way you do business. We have heard on occasion where clients have said ABC or XYZ company said this or that about you. We will NEVER speak negatively about other DJ businesses to clients because we here at Kalifornia Entertainment adhere to a strict code of morals and business ethics. Saying hurtful or bad things to a client about somebody else they are interested in hiring will potentially cause a loss in your business. Here is why…
Why We Never Speak Negatively Of Our Competition
1. We try to avoid talking about the competition
When you bring up your competitors in a meeting or conversation, you’re actually putting yourself in a weak position. The primary risk is that you might literally be introducing your client to a competitor that they had no idea existed. Remember that your goal is to create a relationship and close the deal with a signed contract. Unless the the client actually asks a direct question about your competitor’s company or service offering, you can sidestep any potential land mines by simply avoiding the topic altogether.
The way to build credibility as a professional is to understand the needs and wants of clients (brides, grooms, party planners, etc.) and show where you can provide value. If you present well and use the right marketing tools, you’ll accomplish your goal of winning their business without trying to make anyone else look bad.
2. Be honest
If your client does ask a direct question about your competitor’s company or services, a dishonest response from you is a losing proposition. Not only are negative responses easy to uncover, they feed into the existing and damaging image of your company as being shady and manipulative.
3. Just don’t go negative
Again, if you can’t avoid talking about your competition in some way, keep a neutral tone. This can be difficult, particularly if you hear through the grapevine that your competitors are bashing you or what you offer potential clients. Stay above the fray. Your clients don’t care about petty grievances or turf wars. They want help making a decision about investing in a service that will give them everything they want or need for their big event.
If the customer asks a direct question about your competition, keep it short, and steer the conversation back to the areas where you believe your services are superior. Think in terms of the following categories:
- How you can give the client what they are exactly looking for\
- How you can help the client save some money (many bride & grooms are on tight budgets)
- How you can deliver a better experience
- How you can offer more value for their hard earned dollar
As head of marketing for your business, your job is pretty straightforward: steer clear of talking about your competition entirely, especially in content assets or information collateral. Again, the “facts” about your competition can be subjective and change quickly; you don’t want that information to be stuck in a marketing asset that needs to last you multiple months. Instead, highlight the strength of your own value proposition and what differentiates you, without naming any of your competition.
Is it your job to be aware of the competition and their messaging? Of course. You can use that information as part of your process to continually create more value for your clients. That value will automatically help your business gain traction with prospects and successfully address their event needs.
4. Bashing competition makes you look childish, silly, dumb, not confident in what you do
People already assume you hate your competitors, like a competitive rivalry in sports, you NEVER like your opponents. But unlike in sports (where smack talk is usually pretty entertaining) bashing your competitors does nothing for you or your business. It’s a sign of weakness.
Talking bad about your competition may even hurt your business, no one likes talking to negative Nancy, and if you continue to bad mouth your competitors someone will eventually tell them. Our city is far too small.
Don’t gossip, don’t spread negative news, don’t say a thing that is perceived as negative about the competition. If anything find out what they do really well. We here at Kalifornia Entertainment have actually given a lot of praise and positive feedback when people have asked us how we compare to certain businesses. We have actual testimonials of this, to show that we put ourselves at a much higher moral fiber standing than many other types of businesses. Want to show confidence in what you do? Talk great about your competitors. Build them up, find the best in what they do, you never know when you’re going to need something from them.
Conclusion
Imagine if you were at a job interview and you knew the candidates sitting in the waiting room. Now imagine the job interviewer asked you about those candidates. Would you choose to bash those people in an effort to make yourself look good? You can probably see how taking that route would make you look like a negative person who wants to win at any cost. The next time you’re in front of a bride or groom or party planner, keep it positive, friendly, and focused on their needs. The rest will take care of itself.
For more information on Kalifornia Entertainment’s services, feel free to contact us with your event details.
