There is one marketing technique that is much easier to do online than through other media -- competitive comparisons.

In the old print world, you might be able to update your brochure or ad once or twice per year. Online you can do it in near-real-time.

We've long been a fan of IndyMac's mortgage comparison, first writing about it in Online Banking Report #72 (June 2001). The mortgage lender shows the total mortgage cost at various major competitors, even daring to include examples where it's not the lowest overall price.

These competitive price comparisons are great, and if you consistently have lower prices, then you should use this approach.

But what about companies that compete on service more than price? After all, most consumers aren't going to choose a bank, simply to save a buck a month on fees.

Idea
If your service is markedly better than your competition, create a comparison chart showing your service standards and capabilities stacked up against the competition.

Even better, hire an independent researcher to document search times, wait times, response times, resolution times, and so on, and post them to your website on a frequent basis. Not only will this impress prospects, its excellent reinforcement to your current customers and employees that you are measurably better than the rest.

-- JB