Who's In the way? Looking at competition in the CCP program

Hello again!

Now you know all about Diana, and if not,go meet her. Now we need to look outward, to see the world that she’s going to be looking at to find me. This is what question 6 is all about:

Who are your competitors? This is where we look outside. Who is doing what you do and do they also have a blog/newsletter/podcast? If so, what is their focus? Who are they not serving that you can?

To get to the heart of this, let's go back to the start

Back to Basics: what do I do?

I am a creative business writer whose mission is to help small business owners to shine a light on their business in a way that both resonates with their ideal customer and makes them feel confident about their online presence. I have 3 services available to help business owners achieve this goal

1. Offering an hour of my time for those are trying to figure this marketing thing out by themselves (Step Up To the Mic)

2. Writing authentic sounding ‘About Me’ pages (AMP Up Your About Me Page)

3. Creating a strategy for those who want to start, or jump start, a blog (Content Creation Playlist)

Who Is My Competition?

This is a tricky topic as they turn out to be both internal and external. This is what I see when I look out on the landscape and also when I deal with clients

This list includes:

• Other independent copywriters & content creators

• Large marketing companies

• Friends or significant others of the business owner who write in some capacity for a living and thing they can help

• The potential client who believes that, because they have writing skills, they can DIY their own copy

Those are the easy ones. My hardest competitors are:

• The voice in their head that tells them, despite having the funds, to hold off pay for things until they reach some distant goal point (which always shifts once they get there) before they let themselves purchasing your services

• It also includes Diana’s ignorance of marketing. She knows what makes her a rock star, but may not always know what to ask for to get the results she desires. And if you don’t know what to ask for, you’ll never get it. Or you’ll get something else. Either way, this road leads to unrealistic expectations and disappointment

But, Diana, she’s just getting started, and like anyone just getting started, she’ll go to Google. And this is what she’s going to find.

Image by ExpressWriters by Pixabay

Who Does SHE See?

As stated above, she’ll see two options

Marketing companies of various sizes, from solo acts to large agencies, that offer a large menu of services. The truth is, your marketing needs can be met with a dizzying array of solutions. Depending on your goals, they might offer Diana website design AND social media marketing, SEO AND copyright services as well as traditional ads all under one roof. However, they are often better at some services

OR

Solopreneurs who specialize in only one area: Yes, I mentioned solopreneurs who offer a variety of services that need different skill sets, but I’m talking about something else. I mean artists with one particular skill set that they are a master of. The go-to photographer or graphic designer or logo creator in your area with glowing reviews and a wait list of customers Hello, this is me!

The Issue

I don’t see others like me, who have this particular zone of genius and make their living with it. In fact, I don’t see any direct one-to-one product type of competition. I completely understand that most big marketing agencies and even a few of the small ones, offer to write an ‘About Me’ page, but it’s part of a bigger package. And, of course, there are many marketing agencies that have comprehensive blogging packages, but I have a plan in offering this combination of services. I want Diana to come back to me as her business grows because I know her so well, and have done such great work, that she wouldn’t think of going elsewhere.

The Solution

I also know that most people don’t search for someone to write their ‘About Me’ page or give them some marketing accountability. I also know that most small business owners cannot afford the services of agencies, and do their website, logo and the like, piecemeal. So how do I find her? I have two plans of attack. She sees me when I get in front of her speaking at a conference or professional organization or through a referral from a partner, a talent with another speciality. That is my method. I’m getting in front of as many people as possible to build a relationship with them so that they know and like me enough to make an appointment and trust me enough to help them create and strategize their business writing. Together, we help them create their ideal online presence.

Intrigued? Want to chat? Schedule a free 30 minute session to see if this might be the thing for you.