I have a great sales letter, they have a great sales letter. I have a backend offer, they have a backend offer. I build a list, they build a list. I have an affiliate program, they have an affiliate program. (I actually pay-out more than they do)

I have a competitor that is really "with it" when it comes to the sales process and we sell almost identical products. They do pretty much everything I do.

How can I pull ahead and destroy my competition?

Sell a better product.

Give better customer service.

Open up new markets for your product.

All those things you mentioned are technical things, they mean nothing without the context of content.

You've got all the "bits", just make the bits better. Test everything.

Don't pigeon-hole yourself into one product.

Have a successful product? Make another...in the same niche...become your own competitor...and keep duplicating until all the other competition is drowned out.

Bingo. You want to blow past the competition? Broaden your horizons. Find a whole new market for your product. Tweak it so it directly appeals to them in whatever ways are necessary.

I'm flashing back to John Candy in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" selling shower curtain rings to teenage girls as stylish earrings to raise money for something or other.

It's not always easy to see other opportunities, because you are so focused on your main market. It requires stepping back, bringing in others for fresh perspectives, research, etc.

If you tell us your product, you may get some helpful suggestions here. I'll certainly try.

I was recently at a "black hat seo" mastermind and all I can
say is... "watch out for some of the evil bastards out there".

I could easily tell you how to destroy the competition in just
two or three days.

However, it's probably not the nicest thing to talk about.

Just be careful who you mess with in this industry. I've learned
you can wreck a guys business in a few keystrokes if you know
what you are doing.

I love destroying my competition. I'm quite adept at it. I even have celebrations when one of my competitors bites the dust, and have a "scalp" belt of printouts of websites I've demolished over the years. And I'm in a very competitive industry.

And I've done it w/o bh seo, though I could get scripts coded to proxy-serve click on ppc ads and all of that if I wanted to, too. But that would be too easy, so I don't.

1) Look at their OFFER. What elements are strongest? Outdo them on it.

2) Look at their POSITIONING. Do they have any credibility? If not, make a big deal out of it.

3) PRICE - if their price is higher, make that a big deal. If it's the same, make your extras a big deal. If it's lower, make that a big deal.

4) BENEFITS - the most important part of it, and what I do here, I keep to myself. Suffice it to say, my launches outdo my competitors', though I act as though they don't. And I grind 'em down til they fade away.

Remember the "house of the green tea leaves' scene in Kill Bill? That's how I envision myself, surrounded by competition, and I make sure to have the sharpest katana/skills, and slice n dice my competitors til they drop. I am a ruthlessly competitive marketer, and rather enjoy the game. I don't need the money anymore (I could stop working for 2-3 years and still be flush), but I like the chess game. Well-played. I like being dominant in my niches, and wealthy. It makes me happy.

I am the Conan the Barbarian of my niches and utterly destroy my competition, loving every second of it. Done so with ZERO affiliates.

It's easy, if you can write rockstar copy. And if you're honest and credible and overdeliver and EARN the trust of your list.

-ken

PCBIDS,

In your post you list reasons that make it clear ONE of you isn't necessary.

Make sure it's your competition that's not necessary by redefining what you deliver so you have NO competition.

Have you considered paying a marketing 'guru' for some consultation. There are probably many things you can change in both your sales letter and approach and marketing funnel that will make a big difference.

For example, taking your business offline to get a higher response, or joint venturing with other people might find a whole lot of new customers. Maybe putting in an offer of free information or product before the sale might help. I dont know, because I dont know anything about your product or business, but I'll bet there are some things you havent even considered yet which can help you.

The key here is the "almost".

Just an idea: buy a copy of your competitors product. Then have an impartial party compare it with yours. Is it better? Why? What could your product do differently to compete? Use this to, as already stated above, make certain that you have the superior product.

Third party convinced yours IS the better product? Have them write a testimonial stating why. If this is the case, have three or four more third parties review both products side-by-side. Get their input as well. If your product still stands out as superior, you'll have plenty of testimonies as proof.

If it isn't, well... you'll be armed with enough consumer research to improve it and make it the best.

Just my two cents