In the spring I hired a designer to create my new WordPress site. Once I’d signed the contract and paid the deposit, she sent me an in-depth survey to help us both drill down to how I really wanted my new website to function. Some parts of the survey were fun, like telling the story of how my business has developed over time and creating a Pinterest board of the blog designs, logos, and colors I’m drawn to most. And some parts were tedious, like sifting through my posts to determine what categories they fit into so that I could choose what goes in the navigation bar. But one part of the survey made me seriously uncomfortable. She asked me to list my top three competitors. “Name three businesses or blogs that you see as your competition.”
My gut reaction was to say I’m not competing with anyone. The craft and sewing blog community is a very supportive one and I think we do a good job of helping one another and cheering for each other. Sure I have peers – people who are also selling PDF sewing patterns for dolls and toys, people who are also blogging about creative small business – but are we really competitors? Isn’t there room for everyone to shine and to earn a good income and to contribute their unique voice?
I’m a good student, though, and I can’t leave a homework question blank so I withstood the discomfort and began to think hard about my competition. If I had to choose three competing sites, which would they be? And why do I perceive them as being my direct competitors?
You know what? This turned out to be a great exercise, despite the discomfort. First, I reminded myself that the sites and designers I named don’t ever have to know that I chose them. This exercise was for me and my designer, but since I was hiring her to create something custom just for me, really the value of this exercise was for me alone.
What I realized is that all of us have competitors and to pretend that I didn’t wasn’t as productive as acknowledging that I did.
Naming my competition helped me to get a broader view of the marketplace, to see my blog and my products as just a few among a wide range of what’s available to potential readers and customers. I began to look at my competitors ecommerce shops and blogs, examining what they’re offering, and not offering, how they describe themselves and their expertise. This examination helped me to hone in on what I have to offer that’s unique and different. Studying the broader market helped me to tighten up my focus, reaffirming my belief that there’s room for everyone to succeed. I have also been using https://physicaldigital.com/services/3d-scanning/ recently, which is a 3D scanning service in the UK for businesses that want very details information about competitor products. It has been working brilliantly, and allowing me to easily develop products much faster, so well worth looking into a 3D scanning service like that if you would like to research competitor products.
So here’s a little homework for you, no matter where you might be in developing your own creative business. Right now, take a minute and come up with a list of your three competitors. Explain in a sentence or two what they’re offering. Now explain what you have to offer that’s different. What needs can you meet that none of your competitors are meeting? That is your competitive advantage.
It’s interesting to note that there are particular topics that generally make us uncomfortable to talk about. Money and competition are two of them (sex and death might also qualify). I’ve found that it’s when I face those hard topics head on, look at the actual numbers and name the competitors, I’m able to glean the most valuable and actionable information.
Many small business owners and creative people struggle with comparison and feeling like a fraud, myself included. Those thoughts have a tendency to float freely in the back of our minds, almost like background noise, and they pull us down into a state of inactivity. Trying to face them and name them gives us something useful to build from.
lisa snyder says
these issues are similar in the WordPress developer/designer universe where I focus most of my time…understanding where you fit in and the unique attributes you offer. thanks for giving insight into your process.
Abby says
You’re welcome. I think this sort of identification and analysis can really be applied to any field and any level of experience. No matter where you are, there are other people working on something that’s in a similar vein.
Erika says
Such a great point Abby! Acknowledging and recognizing your competition is so important and sometimes I forget that. Would you agree that it is just as important as the WHO? In working with Jane, from fashionbrainacademy.com and the programs they offer, I’ve been able to hone in on who I’m selling to… next step will be check out my competition more closely to find my WHY. What makes me/my products different. Thanks for the post – Love your work!
Abby says
Coming up with an ideal customer, or an ideal reader, is also a great exercise. Thank you for that reminder!
Rebecca says
I did this for my business plan, and it was useful in defining not only what I already had going on but what direction I wanted to continue in to build on the unique traits of my work versus others’. I’ve just begun in web development, as part of a small graphic design agency, and we’re finding that we have to differentiate ourselves from places like SquareSpace more than from other design/development agencies. It really does force an articulation of sometimes nebulous ideas.
Abby says
Sometimes your competitors aren’t like you. There was a great article I read recently which said that although many people assume Google’s main competitors might be Bing or Yahoo, they see their main competitor as Amazon. People are going to Amazon to search for answers to their questions, like they are to Google. I actually think Etsy is another place where people go for search, but that’s another post entirely. The bigger point being that a competitor might not be just like you, but might be someone people seek out for similar information the what you’re providing.
Melanie DewBerry says
Hi Abby, as a writer I had to do this for a book proposal . it too gave me an upsest stomach but it was hugely uselful. I don’t know what I was afraid of. I will do this for my website too. thanks for the push.
Abby says
I had to do it for my book proposals, too. It was hard, but not as hard as doing it for my business I think because my business was something I’d already built, whereas a book was still an idea not yet realized.
Melanie DewBerry says
You’re probably correct that this will be more of a challenge for me. I’ll let you know.
Melissa says
Read this when you posted but just finally getting around to comment. Very useful exercise indeed. I’ve also found that if I can articulate what I admire about my competitors, it helps me both to stop feeling jealous/sick about them and also to see if there’s something in that I can apply to my own business. Sometimes there is, and sometimes I realize I don’t want to do something they’re doing because the personal cost to me is more than I want to pay (ie. giving up time with family in order to______).
Abby says
I absolutely think naming what it is you admire, and what it is that is making you feel jealous, is so valuable. Once you identify it and put it into words you can decide what about it is valuable to your own business and what really doesn’t apply.