If you're a fan of Western movies I'm sure you've heard most of the title line before; just replace "Web" with "town." That line of dialog is offered right before the two cowboys go outside and have a deadly gun duel. Wind blown tumbleweeds and shades of the OK Corral as a backdrop! Nevertheless, can mean spirited politics help you corral a little corner of the Web? Can you put up no trespassing signs on what you've deemed to call your own? Most progressive Net businesses grab market share by their good business practices and excellent customer service. There's more than a few of those that come to mind. There are others - less enlightened - that use negative practices to maintain their market foothold. Creative ways to slow down or stop your perceived competitors or opponents are many. They can take the form of misinformation, gossip, poisonous tips, setting up dummy email accounts to spread rumors, etc, etc A few of them will work in the short term. Some will be more effective than others. Most will stain your personal and business name, when found out! All of them are foolhardy! Yes, you can raise your hand to the sky and block the sun; yet and still, it's not an accurate description of what's happening. When the mighty Mississippi river wants to change course, how can it be stopped? When the Net wants to grow, expand and mutate, how are you going to tame it to your petty designs? Entire countries have bent to the will of the Web! Here's an example: Long-standing phone monopolies in Central American countries used political pressure to stop their citizens from making Internet phone calls, to no avail! Though "special legislation" was passed, there was such a huge outcry from the rest of the Net, they relented! Let the Net be the Net, is the call of wisdom. Historically speaking, the Web is an infant. It will continue to grow and expand, networking even the most remote outpost or village! Powerful and speedy microchips will give us the ability to reach out to other people and cultures. Language barriers will be eliminated with real-time, two way translation. Stone Age villages are going to join the modern world in one fantastic step! The swift technological change and the accelerated rate of deployment promise a bumpy ride, to say the least! All we can do is grab the beast by the tail and hang on; uncertain as to where it leads and what it will look like! Those are just a few of the things awaiting us, in the not-too-distant future. I'm sure there are many more in store; not imagined, unseen and unexpected. The only two constant factors are: growth and change! In its tender years, the Net has grown and mutated in ways barely imagined a decade ago. If I've waxed too fantastically in the preceding paragraphs, I do apologize! The point is to explain the utter futility of arresting or trapping a corner of the Web! By its very nature it's the agent of revolutionary change and growth; never to be proclaimed as your self-appointed kingdom! It won't work! All Internet Marketers should consider the preceding when making policy decisions that deal with perceived competitors. Notice my usage of the word "perceived." Just because an upstart business wants some of the turf you formerly called your own, is no reason to engage in attrition and trench warfare. These are much better options: (a) Find weak areas in your competitor's business. Not so much for the purpose of exploiting them, but to see if you can supply some of their needs. No matter what the copywriters say, all businesses have strong and weak areas. (b) Look for product lines that are complementary and form linking relationships. The nature and placement of the link will insure mutual benefit from the agreement. (c) When provoked by some of the negative practices of other - less progressive - competitors, do what you must to uphold your reputation. If it's something trivial and small, turn the other cheek and seek the high road; not from altruism but to save your time, energy and attention for more productive endeavors. Pick your battles on principle and only when all other avenues are exhausted. When all things are considered, the best use of your time in maintaining market share should be spent in finding new resources and partners. Likewise, implementing new content delivery technology will prove very effective. By all means, every possible effort should be made to convert competitors into friends and partners. The alternative is so unsavory: While the Web continues its relentless gallop, leaving both you and your sparring partner in the dust; will you even recognize why you went into battle, in the first place? |
