Some may be aware that I want to get three firms in a room to talk about their experiences with three different software products/services. They will, in effect be introducing their competition to how they do things – sort of. The resistance is palpable. In essence it boils down to this:
I DON’T WANT TO LOOK STUPID OR GIVE AWAY SECRETS TO COMPETITORS AND I DON’T WANT TO BE COMPARED WITH MY COMPETITION WHICH IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
I’ve been trying to find a solution to this for a while. I know that psychologically, the response is reasonable, given the mindset necessary to be a professional accountant. Please be assured, there is no intention of irony or sarcasm. The solution came today in the shape of Guy Kawasaki’s post about The Art of Driving Your Competition Crazy. Here’s a taster:
Companies go astray when defeating the competition becomes more important than taking care of customers. When companies become obsessed with the pursuit of excellence, by contrast, they often reach new levels of greatness. Here’s how to avoid the former and achieve the latter.
So here’s the deal. If there’s a lineup of 3 accountants with their suppliers in tow, I’m willing to bet a large amount of money the results will be astonishing for everyone. Here’s why:
- Everyone brings something unique to their use of technology. It is what distinguishes the business and cannot be replicated.
- The firms concerned demonstrate the kind of thinking that gets you away from the commodification of being a professional accountant who is usually perceived as little more than a highly paid book-keeper who tells you how much you owe the taxman.
- The firms I’m thinking of are already taking next steps and leapfrogging where they were just 3 months ago in regard to their use of social software.
- They are already doing a limited amount of linking to competition. Heck Jason Stamper – who I KNOW is competition to me has linked here (follow the link – it’s a great blog.)
- The audience – which I see as professionals bringing along a couple of clients – will see what each wants to.
- I believe clients would be astonished that their professional advisors are willing to shepherd them to something that talks about client care, by other accountants, and the technology supporting those efforts.
- I believe professionals would see what their competition is up to to and want to jump on the bandwagon. That means the vendors win. All of them in my opinion.
- It would also mean the competition has to start on the ladder. So drive them mad by continuing to innovate.
- Accountants buy from accountants. Where do clients buy from?
UPDATE: Hopefully, you’ll see the parallels with Scoble’s interesting take:
Well, bloggers only make fun of companies and people that are doing interesting things. You don’t see them picking on companies that don’t have a big market position, do you?
The day that bloggers stop poking you with a big stick is the day that your brand and market position have become small and boring.
Technorati Tags: client relationships, client_marketing, competition, innovation
