Recognizing Both Direct and Indirect Competition

I’ve seen the habit to only look at direct competitionones in the pile, and a really good custom postcard is
when taking a look at the marketplace.going to overshadow the other postcards, and make
       me less likely to look at them.
Keeping a good eye on the competition is going to be       
part of any successful marketing plan, but who exactlyThe same is true for brochures, for posters, or for any
is the competition and who really needs to beother marketing you’re doing. You have to be
watched? It would appear that anyone in your industrycertain that you know what as many companies are
is going to be the ones to watch out for, and to andoing as possible. If you’re noticing too many
extent this is true, but don’t think that they’re thecompanies sending out postcards you might want to
only ones that are going to be challenging you.hold off on yours for a while. The more saturated a
       market is with marketing material the harder it will be
These companies are your direct competition. Anyonefor yours to be seen and do what it’s supposed to.
directly competing for the exact same customers or       
who offer a similar service is going to be your directObviously sometimes you just won’t have much of
competition. My guess is that most companies are wella choice and you’ll just have to send out your
aware of their direct competition, but who are youmarketing material no matter how many other people
indirectly competing against?are doing things. My point isn’t to say that you need
       to completely change your plans depending on other
These are the companies who are getting similarcompanies, but you should still be aware of it.
marketing or other advertising material done that youEventually you might end up changing things a little, or
are. Consider if you’re getting postcard printingimproving your marketing to stay ahead and get your
done every other company out there who are alsomaterial noticed.
getting that same postcard printing.       
       Don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking that direct
Each time you send out a postcard your customerscompetition is all you have to worry about. In a society
are going to be sorting through a large pile of mail thatas filled with marketing material as ours is, you have a
might be filled with quite a few postcards. Are theylot of stiff competition to be aware of. Don’t let this
going to diligently look through every single postcard inscare you away from throwing your hat into the ring,
that pile? That’s extremely unlikely. I know I oftenbut rather look at it as a chance to make your
only look at a few postcards while throwing out all ofcompany that much better, and make your marketing
the others. The ones I look at are the most interestingmaterial as good as it can possibly be.