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How to Nuke Your Competition

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Written by Ray Edwards

Tuesday, 06 May 2008

I've titled this article in a sensational way. I hope I don't offend you, but I wanted to provoke your interest.

by RayEdwards

I've titled this article in a sensational way. I hope I don't offend you, but I wanted to provoke your interest.

Now, despite what the title would suggest, I'm not a cut-throat, vengeful type of guy. I believe there is an abundance of wealth and opportunity for everyone. And I do want everyone to do well, but I want YOU to do better! And I know you can.

Most marketers find that it is a slug-fest to stay ahead of the competition, they struggle and struggle just to stay even with the competition, when, in reality, victory is only about 2mm away. Let me explain:

Recently, I went to a Tony Robbins event. You know, the one where they have you walk barefoot on hot coals? It was a life-changing experience for me. Now, I don't bring that up to brag about the fact that I walked on fire (well, OK, I want to brag a little bit, walking on fire is a pretty cool thing to do, you must admit!), but I bring it up to mention one of the most important things I picked up from Tony. That is the concept that the distinction between being good, or even excellent, and being off-the-charts outstanding is about 2mm of difference.

Pilots must navigate accurately. What happens if they start off 2mm off-course? Over time, they could end up miles away from their destination, maybe even miss the airport altogether!

Tony gave other examples, too. Consider the world-class plastic surgeon, a master of his craft. Considering all the documentation from all the operations he has conducted, he finds that most surgeries only need 2 mm of change or less to create a dramatic improvement in a patient's facial features.

So how can this help your business? Well, the difference between simply keeping up with the competition and leaving them in the dust is only about 2 mm. This is a metaphor, but it does show that you only need a small effort to make a huge difference.

You don't need to beat your competition in every part of their business. If you can beat them in at least three categories that matter to your clients, you will win out. And remember, you only need to beat them by 2 mm!

Here are five simple "2 mm Changes" that will really make a difference. If you only pick three of these five, and excel at those three, you will shatter your competition. Try these ideas:

1. Look and Feel. By improving the look and feel of your website, you will gain an initial edge over your competition.

2. Follow up! This can have a big impact on your clients. They will appreciate feeling wanted, needed, and respected.

3. Tracking and Testing. Keep track of what works and what doesn't. Whether your client knows about this or not, it will make a big difference. This will help you find the language that grabs their attention and gets them sales.

4. Adwords Campaigns. I've been guilty of neglecting this myself! Most online marketers don't spend time on their Adwords marketing. This must change! By becoming 2 mm better in this area, combined with two other areas, you will destroy your competition.

5. Backend Sales. This is a process where you give the customer opportunity to buy more product from you after the initial sale. Your customers don't want you to sell to them. But, they want to buy. We all want more of what we want more of.

Of course, these aren't the only 5 categories for improvement - you could come up with many more - but I would encourage you to pick three of these categories and improve them by "2mm". See if it doesn't give you a boost over your competition.

If you'd like to learn more, I talk about some fundamental characteristics for succeeding in an online business in today's resource: 21 Fundamentals of Online Success

About the Author:

For an inside look at the techniques of a top direct response copywriter, check out the membership site of Copywriter Ray Edwards. Claim your podcasts, marketing tips, videos and copywriting advice.

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