Recently, a company director asked me why his blog posts weren't generating any business opportunities. After examining his publishing plan, I identified he was making the same errors I see numerous Saudi businesses commit.
I use a basic tracker to monitor our competitors' costs adjustments weekly. This recently enabled us to:
- Identify seasonal promotion cycles
- Recognize special offer tactics
- Grasp their pricing psychology
Important status aspects to consider for differentiation:
- Subtle signaling vs. clear exhibition
- Social confirmation of standing
- Achievement orientation alongside inheritance recognition
- Sharing manifestation as status expression
- Religious alignment of high-end purchasing
Powerful techniques included:
- Featuring merchandise aligned with Saudi preferences
- Modifying merchandise details to showcase features important to Saudi consumers
- Special assortments for cultural events
- Size adaptations for regional expectations
Successful methods:
- Implementing local payment methods like local services
- Upgrading Arabic product information
- Featuring regional support access
- Incorporating credibility indicators customized for Saudi users
I dedicate at least two hours each Monday examining our competitors':
- Online structure and navigation
- Content strategy and publishing frequency
- Social media presence
- User feedback and ratings
- Search approach and performance
Essential components:
- Extended decision periods in Saudi purchase journeys
- Group decision elements in conversion actions
- Chat as a substantial but difficult-to-track influence channel
- Face-to-face confirmation as the final purchase trigger
A digital company revolutionized their sales figures by applying a replacement approach that integrated advancement with convention. This strategy increased their company attraction by over one hundred forty percent.
Key improvements included:
- Honest fulfillment projections for different regions of the Kingdom
- Various shipping choices including expedited service in urban centers
- Complete visibility with native updates
- Changeable arrangements for arrivals
For a high-end retailer, we developed a Saudi-specific attribution approach that recognized the special path to purchase in the Kingdom. This technique revealed that their social media investments were actually generating nearly three times more value than previously calculated.
I now use several tools that have substantially improved our market intelligence:
- Search analysis platforms to analyze competitors' keyword performance
- Social listening tools to monitor competition's digital footprint
- jeddah website optimization analysis platforms to track modifications to their digital properties
- Communication monitoring to get their marketing communications
Remarkable results:
- Snapchat surpassing Visual platforms for top digital marketing agencies KSA certain products
- Late promotion significantly exceeding daytime efforts
- Motion media producing higher ROI than still graphics
- Mobile performance exceeding laptop by substantial margins
Initiate by identifying ALL your competition – not just the well-known ones. During our research, we found that our biggest threat wasn't the famous company we were monitoring, but a emerging startup with an unique strategy.
A few months ago, a store owner consulted me after investing over 500,000 SAR on digital marketing with minimal returns. After revamping their methodology, we generated a seven hundred forty-three percent growth in value generated.
Last year, I witnessed as three competitors poured resources into growing their presence on a certain social media platform. Their initiatives flopped as the channel turned out to be a poor fit for our industry.
When I established my e-commerce business three years ago, I was convinced that our special products would sell themselves. I ignored market research as a waste of time – a mistake that nearly destroyed my entire venture.
Essential assistance elements to consider for differentiation:
- Connection foundation of assistance
- Requirement for speed
- Physical contact tendency
- Total issue solving requirement
- Status recognition during support provision
I recommend classifying competitors as:
- Primary competitors (offering very similar products/services)
- Peripheral competitors (with partial overlap)
- Emerging challengers (new entrants with disruptive models)
Essential progress elements to assess for positioning:
- Useful improvements emphasis over originality
- Communal approval of advanced usage
- Established procedure augmentation rather than substitution
- Ease of integration into current habits
- Family benefits framing
For a global lifestyle company, we created a differentiation strategy that truthfully resonated with established home beliefs while maintaining their international appeal. This strategy increased their product meaningfulness by one hundred seventy-three percent.