American Politics

American Politics  » This Here Web Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us! - Can You Corner Web Market Share With Negative Actions?

This Here Web Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us! - Can You Corner Web Market Share With Negative Actions?

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 want's 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.

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(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?

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by Francisco Aloy

(C)2004 Francisco Aloy

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About the Author

Francisco Aloy is the creator of The Newbie

Business Guide. For more resources for website

building, visit Mr. Aloy's website and look at

our section on SiteBuilIt integrated hosting.

http://www.newbie-business-guide.com/website_building.html