Do you carefully research the competition?

Scripture: Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:2).

Today’s Thought: Researching the competition is one often-overlooked key to success. The more you understand your competitors, the better your chances of winning in the marketplace. However, many small- to mid-size companies simply do not expend the effort.

Avoid anything illegal or unethical, but do everything you reasonably can to check out the competition. At the very least, check out your competition 'Web sites; read their ads, Brochures, and marketing materials, and become familiar with their products and services. Better yet, stop by their place of business to get a feel for how they operate and to evaluate the quality of their customer service. Place an order, if it’s practical, to see how quickly they ship their products and how they treat their customers.

When you thoroughly understand the competition, you can take decisive action to move your business ahead.

If you say, “See, we did not know this,” does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? (Proverbs 24:12)

The more you understand your competitors, the better your chances of winning in the marketplace.