Exploit Your Competition’s Weaknesses
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
How to research your competitors and find differentiators
How to quantify and communicate differentiators
How to use customer testimonials and expert opinions
How to create hard and soft differentiators
RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND YOUR COMPETITION
Step 2 of the Copywriting Outline can be the most enjoyable part of developing the copywriting plan for your product. It is your chance to put into words why your competition is completely inferior to you. Have fun, but proceed with caution.
To write compelling copy, it is essential that you know what differentiates your product from the competition. Once you know your competitors’ weaknesses, you must make sure your audience knows them and understands why buying your competitors’ products would be a terrible mistake. Get started by thoroughly researching your competition and understanding what they offer in terms of products and services. Next, list the elements of their offerings that are inferior to your own. Feel free to tear the competition apart but be realistic in your comparisons. You want to be able to support your claims if you are challenged.
Additionally, as part of your competitor analysis, you need to take the time to investigate how they react to challenges. For example, if you launch an advertising campaign stating that your prices are the lowest available, will your competition likely follow suit by dropping their prices to match or beat yours? If so, your advertising campaign will be outdated and inaccurate before you have a chance to earn a return on your investment. You must determine your ultimate advertising goals and then create copy that will help you meet these goals. Don’t be shortsighted by ignoring the reaction of your competition. Not only should you evaluate previous responses your competitors made to market changes, but you should also theorize on how they will react to the steps you take to market your business and products in the future. Most companies will counter an attack. From the start, learn to expect a response from your competition and craft your marketing campaign and corresponding copy in ways that consider this reaction.
To be successful, you must always know what your competition is doing.
AVOID GIVING FREE PUBLICITY TO YOUR COMPETITORS
There are two schools of thought related to mentioning your competitors in your advertising and marketing copy. The first school believes you should never mention your competitors by name, while the second school believes that mentioning your competitors does not negatively impact the effectiveness of your advertising investment. I belong to the first school of thought.
First, the reason for not mentioning your competitors in your copy is simple. Why give your competitors free publicity, and why give them an opportunity to respond with a counterattack? Second, depending on the type of business you’re promoting in your copy, many consumers might not even know who your competitors are. Why would you want to tell potential customers about your competitors’ products or services? Don’t give your customers the opportunity to research your competitor and learn what they have to offer. When you write copy, you want the audience to think about the business, product, and service being advertised and not the other options in the marketplace. Take some time to evaluate both schools of thought before determining whether or not you want to mention your competitors in your copy.
QUANTIFY YOUR DIFFERENTIATORS
If you can quantify the differences between your product and your competitor’s product, you’ve hit the jackpot. For example, if your competitor only offers a one-year guarantee on their product, but you offer a five-year guarantee, shout it to the world in your copy. In Step 4 of the Copywriting Outline, I’ll show you how to personalize your copy to effectively sell this difference to your customers, but in Step 2, just list the differences between you and your competitors and quantify them whenever possible. Nothing helps draw attention to the differences between products better than hard numbers. There are so many ways to quantify the differences between you and your competition. Get creative and have fun with it. Following is a list of differentiators that are easily quantifiable:
Selection
Price
Store hours
Customer service hours
Delivery hours
Delivery rates
Parking availability
Location
Number of employees available and dedicated to customers’ needs
Free tie-ins: For example, some camera stores include batteries with a new camera purchase, which is a nice savings to customers that is not offered by all stores.
LET EXPERT OPINIONS WORK FOR YOU
Another effective way to differentiate your product from the competition is through published reports or expert opinions. If there is an organization or expert affiliated with your line of business who has published articles or interviews related to your product or service, you may be able to use that information in your copy. For example, imagine the Association of Carpet Cleaners (a fictitious organization) published a report stating that using XYZ Stain Remover along with 123 Cleaner is the most effective way to remove red wine stains from carpets. Now let’s say that Joe’s Carpet Cleaning uses this method to remove stains, but Joe’s competitor, Bob’s Carpet Cleaning, uses an older cleaning method and solution. This is the perfect opportunity for Joe to significantly differentiate his business from his competition. Now the consumer will think, “It’s not just Joe telling me his cleaning service is better than Bob’s, but the Association of Carpet Cleaners says so, too.” While Bob’s method of removing wine stains from carpets still works very well, Joe has an authoritative source to help differentiate his service in his customers’ minds.
Ask your customers for testimonials. You’ll be surprised how many will be happy to help and share their opinions.
Obtaining expert opinions and testimonials related directly to you, your business, and your product is also an excellent resource for future copywriting initiatives. If you don’t have any expert opinions or testimonials, don’t worry. Getting them is as simple as asking your customers for testimonials and your business associates for expert opinions. For example, an expert opinion could come from an organization or group to which you belong, and a testimonial could come from one of your best customers. Expert opinions are always the most compelling when you can tie an important organization or title to the person providing them, while testimonials are most effective when you include a picture of the customer who provided the comment in your marketing materials. Expert opinions and customer testimonials from anonymous sources are often meaningless to consumers because they wonder if they are even legitimate. For opinions and testimonials to add value to your copy, they need to come from verifiable sources. It’s also important to remember to obtain written permission to use a customer’s or expert’s words and likeness in your copy.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HARD AND SOFT DIFFERENTIATORS
Frequently, you will not be able to quantify a key differentiator between your product and the competition. Don’t be afraid to get creative to communicate subjective points to your customers. For example, many products are very price sensitive and demand increases with a drop in prices or decreases when prices rise. In economics terminology, these products are considered “elastic,” meaning price has a strong effect on sales. Other differentiators are often secondary when it comes to a customer’s buying decision. Products whose demand is not affected by price changes (including most necessities) are considered “inelastic.” Milk is a perfect example of an inelastic product. Most people are not sensitive to where they buy their milk, and prices don’t vary drastically from one store to another. Convenience is one of the few strong differentiators in terms of a milk purchasing decision (i.e., the location of the store). How else can the store owner differentiate himself to draw in more customers? One way is to create soft differentiators.
Unlike a hard differentiator that is easily quantifiable and proven, a soft differentiator is more subjective. For example, differentiating cheese can be challenging, so the California Milk Producers Advisory Board created copy to advertise Real California Cheese that said, “Great cheese comes from happy cows, and happy cows come from California.” The copy was supported by clever commercial concepts that helped attract the attention of the audience. Who knew that cheese from happy cows is better than from depressed cows? No one, until Real California Cheese made customers think there was a difference by creating a soft differentiator.
As you research your competitors, they’re researching you. Be prepared to respond to competitive attacks against you.
Differentiating yourself from your competition is critical and including hard and soft differentiators in your copy will make your ads more compelling and effective. As I’ll discuss in further detail in Step 9 of the Copywriting Outline, be sure you can prove your claims when comparing your product or service to the competition. Most importantly, be relentless in your research of the competition. A critical component to your product’s success is being aware of the marketplace, including your competition. Staying current on the changes in your competition’s business and products will allow you to capitalize on potential differentiators in future copywriting projects. Having that knowledge will put you in the driver’s seat where you can proactively launch marketing campaigns and corresponding copy from a position of control rather than simply reacting to your competitors’ actions.
ATTACK THE NEGATIVES
If your business or product does have negative features associated with it, don’t try to hide them. Instead, attack them head on. It’s inevitable that your competitors will use your weakness as a way to differentiate their businesses from yours, and they will undoubtedly promote that differentiator as a benefit of choosing their products or services. Before your competitors have the chance to create a message targeted to your weakness, find a way to turn your weakness into a positive. If you can’t find a way to turn your weakness into a copywriting opportunity, it may be time to reevaluate that part of your business and make the necessary changes, so you can stay competitive in the eyes of consumers.
EXAMPLES OF COMPETITIVE DIFFERENTIATOR COPYWRITING
Following are examples of copywriting that focus on differentiators to give you some ideas of how you can exploit your competition’s weaknesses.
Product: Kids Taste Juice
Differentiator: competitors’ juices contain more sugar
The owners of Kids Taste Juice know their product is healthier than competing products. They need to use effective copywriting to draw attention to this differentiator and make sure customers understand why the product is healthier. Rather than simply saying, “Kids Taste Juice contains only 60% sugar,” the copy needs to spell out the difference in no uncertain terms. A more compelling copy approach could read, “Kids Taste Juice is made with 20% less sugar than similar juices. Your kids don’t need that extra sugar. You can feel good about giving them the healthier juice when you pour a glass of Kids Taste Juice.” This copy quantifies the difference between Kids Taste Juice and the competition and points out exactly how that differentiator affects a customer in a positive way through a specific benefit (i.e., less sugar for children and a healthier product). The copy makes customers feel good about buying Kids Taste Juice because it taps into customers’ feelings of guilt about giving their children a drink that is unhealthy.
To further explain, “Kids Taste Juice contains only 60% sugar” states the amount of sugar in the juice. This may be a commendable statistic but out of context it is not useful to the audience. However, when the copy draws a direct comparison to the competition and highlights a quantifiable differentiator (“Kids Taste Juice is made with 20% less sugar than similar juices. Your kids don’t need that extra sugar. You can feel good about giving them the healthier juice when you pour a glass of Kids Taste Juice.”), it takes on a new level of importance to the audience. Now they can understand that Kids Taste Juice is better than other juices in a specific area, which is undoubtedly very important to parents. When writing copy, it is important to understand how your product is different from the competition and turn those differentiators into compelling copy points that relate directly to your customers.
Product: Bug-Be-Gone Exterminators—residential extermination services
Differentiator: length of guarantee
Again, when you know your product is better than your competitors’ product and you can quantify it, shout it to the world. If you offer a six-month guarantee on your services but your competition only offers a three-month guarantee, make sure your customers know about that difference. Then tell them how that difference will affect them personally. For example, instead of saying, “Our work is guaranteed for six months,” show your customers that your competitors don’t offer this guarantee. A more effective use of copy to sell this differentiator might say, “Unlike other exterminators who only stand behind their work for three months, we’ll guarantee you won’t see another bug for the next six months.” Which copy version is more compelling and would motivate you to act? The second version is more effective because it tells the customer that choosing the competitor is a mistake while personalizing the benefits of getting Bug-Be-Gone Exterminators’ special service guarantee.
Product: Everything Appliances—kitchen appliances
Differentiator: free delivery and installation
Delivery and installation services are great ways to differentiate your business from the competition. First, these differentiators are quantifiable. You can show customers how much money they’ll save by choosing your product instead of competitors’ products. There is perhaps no greater motivator in purchasing decisions than saving money. Make sure your customers know the benefits of free delivery and installation vs. other delivery and installation offers. Instead of saying, “We offer free delivery and installation,” personalize the service for your customers. Your copy could say, “You’ll spend up to $100 for delivery and installation at other appliance stores, but when you shop at Everything Appliances, you can keep that money in your pocket because all deliveries are free.” Which copy would motivate you more? You can’t assume customers can interpret your copy. It’s up to you to ensure they understand it, and they are motivated to act on it.
Product: José’s Gas Station—gasoline
Differentiator: clean
Gas is an inelastic product; customers generally buy gas regardless of the price, and the major differentiator is typically convenience (primarily in terms of location). The owner of José’s Gas Station could further differentiate his business by creating a soft differentiator based on the cleanliness of his station. Knowing most gas stations are not very clean, the owner could make an effort to ensure that his gas station is clean and a pleasure to visit. Copy could drive this point home to customers by saying, “Make your next pit stop at José’s Gas Station—guaranteed to be as clean as your own home (even the bathrooms).” This copy points out the differentiator and appeals to a customer’s emotional trigger of the desire for comfort. Everyone wants to be comfortable and feel like they’re at home when they’re traveling. This copy feeds that desire and challenges a traditional assumption that most gas station bathrooms are dirty.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES
There are many famous ads that focus on product differentiation. All advertisers and business owners want to show customers how their products are better than their competitors’ products. The marketing team behind Hefty Garbage Bags hit a home run in product differentiation advertising with their “Hefty, hefty, hefty. Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy,” campaign. Just six words of copy tell a complete story. Hefty Garbage Bags are stronger than other garbage bags. Sounds great. It’s simple, in-your-face copywriting that tells customers in no uncertain terms why Hefty Garbage bags are better than other garbage bags.
Another example is Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and their ad copy that promises, “No more tears.” Not only does this differentiate Johnson’s Baby Shampoo from their competition but it also creates a great benefit for customers. Johnson’s Baby Shampoo will not sting their children’s eyes. What parent wants their child to cry during bathing and shampooing? This copy leverages the emotional feeling of providing comfort and security as well as the trigger of guilt. First, parents want their children to feel loved and secure, but at the same time, they feel guilty when parental requirements (like shampooing) cause their children to be unhappy. Johnson’s Baby Shampoo solves all of these problems, and the copy clearly communicates the benefits to consumers who choose to purchase Johnson’s Baby Shampoo over competitors’ products.
One of the best ad campaigns that focused on differentiating a company and product from the competition was created for Saturn. When General Motors launched their Saturn division, its whole purpose was to provide a different kind of car-buying experience for customers. No longer would customers have to haggle over prices and wonder if they were being taken advantage of or getting a great deal. With Saturn, prices are final and cars are safe. Copy in their famous ad campaign said, “A different kind of company. A different kind of car.” This was a message customers were longing to hear, and they responded. Customers trusted Saturn and appreciated the company’s honesty. By focusing their copy on key differentiators and emotional triggers, Saturn built a solid brand image and boosted sales in the 1990s.
SUMMARY
Take some time to research your competitors thoroughly as you work through Step 2 of the Copywriting Outline. Define the hard and soft differentiators between you and your competition and then quantify those differentiators wherever possible. This is one of the most enjoyable steps of the Copywriting Outline, so have fun with it. However, it is critical that you are able to substantiate the claims you make in your copy, particularly those you make against your competitors, so tread carefully. An effective way to support your claims is through customer testimonials and expert opinions. Don’t be afraid to ask for them.
See Chapter 17 for the complete Copywriting Outline for ABC Tax Services as well as ad and marketing collateral samples using copy culled from the Copywriting Outline.
Copywriting Outline Step 2
Step 2: Exploit Your Competition’s Weaknesses—How are my competitors’ products inferior to mine?
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They employ tax preparers who are not members of the National Association of Tax Practitioners. You can rest assured that your tax return will be prepared accurately because every tax preparer at ABC Tax Services has passed stringent testing requirements set by the National Association of Tax Practitioners. That’s just one more way ABC Tax Services helps you safely navigate the tax maze.
They offer no audit assistance. If your tax return is flagged for an audit, you won’t be left alone. A representative from ABC Tax Services will work with you to navigate the audit process from start to finish.
They charge for e-filing. ABC Tax Services will e-file your tax return for free, so you’ll get your refund fast and at no extra charge.
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Once you’ve completed Step 2 of the Copywriting Outline and thoroughly torn your competition apart, take a moment to congratulate yourself on finishing the most challenging part of any copywriting project. Steps 1 and 2 of the Copywriting Outline lay the groundwork for all of your future copywriting projects. Make sure your work is comprehensive, then take a breath and get ready to turn your product’s features, benefits, and differentiators into compelling, action-oriented copy in the next steps of your Copywriting Outline.
