Your top competitors are as influential with your customers and prospects as you are. This raises an interesting question: how can you leverage competitors as part of your influencer marketing program?

One proven tactic is recruiting influential staff from competitors.

Another tactic is getting competitors to talk about your company in a positive way. To do this, you want to focus on how the competitors’ employees feel about your company. You want them to worry.

You want them to worry enough to acknowledge your company as a top competitor.

The key here is providing them with information that warrants some worry. It could be your growth rate or client wins. It could be your momentum in the market — attracting partners, entering new markets, establishing thought leadership, speaking at conferences, or other areas where you beat them to the punch.

Don’t give away too much information at one time. Pick a few powerful points. Work those points.

Meanwhile, begin tracking what your competitors say about your company. Find out by asking customers, prospects, partners, or other influencers. Again, don’t limit the conversation to products, services and pricing. Look for what’s being said at the company-level.

Then, adjust your proof points — and your touch points within the competitors — as needed.

Competitors are intent on influencing your buyers. Why not make the best of the situation? Put some of that competitive influence to work for you.