No matter what your home – based business is, it is likely that there are other businesses, whether run by home – based professionals or not, that are competing with you. Your clients or customers have options when it comes to where they will purchase their products and services. You are probably aware that there is competition, but what you may not realize is that you have a choice about how to view competition.
It is easy to get caught up in trying to keep up with your competitors, and in feeling anxious about whether your product or service is the best available at any given time. Some of us may even think that keeping close tabs on our competitors and concerning ourselves with their every move will keep us one step ahead of our competitors, if not ahead of them. What we may not realize is that while it is important to be aware of what competitors are out there and what they offer to potential clients and customers, spending too much time worrying about what other people are doing can be counterproductive.
It is possible to be aware of what other people are doing, yet not overly concerned about it. You can choose to think of your competitors as a source of inspiration to do your very best. You can think about what you offer, and how it differs from what they offer. Different businesses appeal to different customers and clients for different reasons. Your business offers something different from your competitors because it is run by you. If you focus on doing your best instead of doing “better” than the others, your business will succeed.
One of the advantages of being a home – based professional is that you get to decide how your business runs. You get to decide how to serve your clients and customers, and you are responsible for the quality of your products or your work. If you give your business your best, you will succeed, even if there are multiple competitors. In other words, be aware of competitors so that you can stay on top of industry trends and practices, but do not waste your precious time and energy on getting anxious about the competition.