Preemptive Positioning

a.k.a. “How to Win Customers and Outsmart Your Competitors”Claim a corner in your niche.

Do you know where you’re going? Can you see the future for your business? Did you know you can build your article marketing campaign to not just reflect your vision but to build to it?

Take a drug store giant like Walgreen’s, for example. Their marketing strategy through the years has been to find high-traffic corners and take control of their area. Any competitor must compensate for their own lack of superior real estate. This has been Walgreen’s way to preemptively position themselves for success in almost every target market. They have a vision for themselves and they build to it.

By making yourself the only choice in your niche – and putting your product or service on a higher level than your competitors – you automatically elevate not only yourself but your customer base.

  • Don’t assume that anyone else owns your corner. They may be louder than you right now, but they may not have the service or products necessary to back up the position. Get going and follow through, you may get your corner after all.

  • Cover all aspects of your business. This is often missed and is essential. Don’t be an expert in just one aspect of your niche. Make sure you are the go-to person for all of it. And if you don’t know it (yet) make sure you can find it – or get it quickly.

  • Think of your articles like a guidebook directing your reader directly to your business. Decide what to lead with and build on each article with new aspects and ideas that will keep your brand in your readers’ mind.

  • Use your uniqueness. Have a tagline or headline that is particularly popular? Use it for the title of a book or blog. Use it over and over (it’s yours after all) and get it known.

  • Say it – and then be it. When Federal Express said, “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight,” all anyone else could say was “Us too!” Own your niche – don’t be a “me too!”

  • Most don’t have your resolve. Succeeding in article writing & marketing, just like in business itself, takes continuous action over the long-haul. Don’t assume your competitors (even if they are #1 right now) have the same long-term resolve that you do. Keep at it till you are #1!

Remember that even though a competitor may offer a quality that you possess – if you claim it and make it your own, you will preempt them in your niche.

Now take some time to develop and/or review your article marketing plan. Does it a provide a clear path to claiming your corner? Does it capitalize on your uniqueness? Does it put you ahead of the competition in your niche? If not, it may be time to reevaluate your strategy and develop a new plan.

Posted by on July 21, 2009 at 12:36 pm | 5,812 views

9 Comments »


1
Deborah Kukal, Ph.D. writes:

Very helpful article–thank you! I’m going to print it off and meditate on it! ;)

Comment provided July 21, 2009 at 1:56 PM

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2
Gerry Faehrmann writes:

Niche marketing is what you are talking about, and you describe very well all the tactics you need to employ to own the No.1 position.

It’s all about being No. 1in the consumer’s mind.

Comment provided July 21, 2009 at 3:55 PM

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3
terryweber writes:

Do the best you can with what you have and do it NOW! I used to do direct cold call selling. My prospects were all kinds of businesses.
Each morning I drove to an industrial area. Then I walked down the street and made a sales call on every business I came to. I could make 20 sales calls every day – sometimes more (when I worked past 5 o’clock). I kept a record of calls and results. In the beginning, the average value of each call, whether I sold anything or not, was $2.37. Later, that figure became $24.87. Keeping records and working the averages was (and still is) the key to my sales success.

Comment provided July 21, 2009 at 6:27 PM

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4
Shirley Bass writes:

Wow! Great info and greatly appreciated. I too will print this article out and keep it close in mind.

Comment provided July 21, 2009 at 9:00 PM

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5
Antionette Tate writes:

This was a very helpful article. I had no idea about Walgreen’s strategy prior to reading this post. I am encouraged!

Comment provided July 21, 2009 at 11:09 PM

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6
Gunter Eibl from GetArticlesDone.com writes:

A big mistake is to believe that a great product alone will make your business successful. Many businesses that had great products went broke while competitors with worse products took off. The key is to get the message over to your customer. If you fail in that, no product in the world will help you and your competitors have easy play with you.

Articles are a great way to get your message over.

Gunter

Comment provided July 22, 2009 at 12:03 AM

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7
jonathan writes:

Excellent article and action provoking as well

Comment provided July 22, 2009 at 2:00 AM

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8
Mark Couch writes:

I totally agree with the article. If you plan to be #1 in your market, you have to do the work. It won’t come automaticly. Your market has to know your open for business. Do it first, Do it now, Do it consistantly is what I say!

To Your Success,
Mark C
follow me on Facebook and Twitter just search for, kitche

Comment provided July 23, 2009 at 12:52 AM

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9
Lilly writes:

Thanks this helped alot! I really owe you something!

Comment provided July 29, 2009 at 4:47 PM

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