Social Media SitesMirna Bard

3 Undeniable Ways to Turn Competitors into Enemies on Social Media Sites
Posted Jun 18th, 2010 By Mirna Bard in Business, Social Media, Social Networking With | 8 Comments

Have you heard the old saying: “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?” This was said by Sun-tzu , Chinese general and military strategist. This proverb has been applied in business as well, but it seems that many people using social media for business are not following this motto.

Here are three undeniable ways to turn competitors into enemies on social media sites:

Imitating

Being a copy-cat is the worst thing you can do for your business. Instead of boosting business, you end up making enemies. As I mentioned in my “3 Major Reasons You Shouldn’t Ignore Competitors on Social Networking Sites,” you should definitely observe what your competition does online so you leverage some opportunities, not stalk them and imitate their every social media tactic and idea. Social media copy-cats do not succeed because they lack authenticity, uniqueness, and creativity. (more…)
3 Major Reasons You Shouldn’t Ignore Competitors on Social Networking Sites
Posted Jun 16th, 2010 By Mirna Bard in Business, Social Media, Social Networking With | 10 Comments

Last month, I ran a poll asking what everyone thought about befriending competitors on social networking sites. Despite the fact that many businesses fear competitors or malicious copy-cats who watch their every move online, 66% said “Yes,” 26% said “It Depends,” and only 8% said “No” to befriending competitors on social networks.

If you are not engaging with competitors online you are missing the real point of social media and its many benefits. You should be embracing the opportunity to converse and establish relationships with competitors who could help leverage your success online.

Below are three major reasons you shouldn’t ignore competitors on social networking sites:

Market Research

Monitoring what your competitors are doing online will help you figure out their strengths and weaknesses as well as identify any opportunities and threats. What better way to discover what they excel at and what holes they have in their strategy than befriending them on social networks. (more…)