You keep tabs on your competition:
you know when they change prices; when they roll out a new campaign; and when
they add a new service, product, or feature.
You probably also keep a file of their mailers and print campaigns. You know all you need to know, right?
That depends. How much time do you spend with your
competitor files? How well do you know
your competitors’ marketing habits? If
you study your competitors’ efforts, really study them, not only could you gain
insight into their strategy and positioning, but you may also learn a trick or
two for reaching your market better.
For starters, look at the
format. Is there something new and
intriguing about it? How does it differ
from yours? Is it a standard format for
your competitor or a test?
Now look at the graphics. Do they enhance the message, draw your
attention to it, or draw your attention away from the message? Are the graphics effective? If so, what makes them work? How do they compare to the graphics used in
your campaigns? Do they convey a
different tone or emotion than yours?
What’s the benefit?
Next, examine the fonts. Are they clean and traditional or
unconventional? Do the font choices,
size, placement, and color work? Do your
competitors’ efforts work or make more work for the reader?
Finally, study the text. Don’t just read it: dissect it. Is the language loose and colloquial or
formal and businesslike? How much detail
do the descriptions provide? What tone
does the text convey? How easy is it to
read? Does the text sweep you smoothly
along or feel choppy and pieced together?
What phrases or descriptions jump out at you? How is your competitors’ approach
different/better/worse than yours?
Digging deep into someone else’s
work can feel tedious and time-consuming, but the rewards of striking insight
“gold” could repay you dearly.
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