Why you should send your competitors a card this Christmas

There are many enthralling, often hair raising aspects to being in business that motivates us to hustle and grind and spend 24/7 thinking of our baby, this entity growing and morphing almost by itself as it evolves and hopefully is profitable.

But few elements in the life of an entrepreneur get us moving or pique our attention as much as our competitors.

A new campaign, a new niche market claimed, an announcement of new premises, we all watch each other’s every move. We even have data and metrics these days that will chart the race for us. The mad dash for the lion’s share. We chart and we plot and we watch. Like lions in the jungle, we are all stalking each other keeping an eye on the next move. Predatorial by nature, entrepreneurs are ready to swallow each other whole.

However, I got to thinking in the last year or so of this roller coaster ride that there’s a flip side to this love-hate relationship between market colleagues. There are actually several reasons to be grateful to our competition, reasons to embrace the data they give us to steer our own ship, to sometimes appreciate the flattering nods to us they give us even if this is not what was intended (!!).

This Christmas along with your corporate merchandise and festive treats, perhaps a card should be spared for your competitors?

For…keeping us awake, with a finger on the pulse, never lethargic. Without the stimulation of watching the market and therefore our competition, we might be tempted in good times to become too comfortable and slacken off.

For… sometimes giving us the heads up on what NOT to do.

For…raising the stakes and therefore encouraging us to always be better and try harder.

For…keeping us abreast of market changes.

And lastly, keeping the race interesting.

Finally, remember: having competitors at all is a good sign, disrupting the scene and upsetting a few is also a good sign. With growth and profitability comes more competition, one of the laws of this jungle.

But don’t become fixated, an eye on the market and the players in your field is always a good idea but to a point. Your main gaze and concentration should always be on your clients, your own team, your own brand, and your own unique message.

So this Christmas, let’s also be grateful for playing in an arena where the players keep us on our toes and energize us to fight harder and carve out ever-bigger pieces of the pie and service our clients better.