What Do Customers Use Instead of My Business?

By Bill Stilwell · Last reviewed October 16, 2026

The short answer

Current alternatives are whatever customers do today instead of hiring you: doing it themselves, asking a friend, using a big chain, hiring a local competitor, buying software, or doing nothing at all. Find them by asking customers what they did the last time they had the problem. Your offer has to be better than those choices in a way customers care about.

What this means

The outline asks you to identify what customers currently use or do instead.

Common alternatives:

Do it themselves: watch a video, buy the supplies, and try it
Ask someone they know: a handy neighbor or relative
A big company or chain: a national brand, a big box store service, or an app
A local competitor: another small business nearby (see 7.5 Competitor Analysis)
A product instead of a service: a tool or software that solves part of the problem
Do nothing: live with it or put it off

Example: someone plans a dryer vent cleaning business. Interviews show most people have never cleaned their vent at all. A few did it themselves with a kit from the hardware store. Only one hired anyone. The biggest alternative is doing nothing, so the owner’s real job is explaining why it matters, not beating another company on price.

Why it matters

“Doing nothing” is often the biggest competitor. If customers don’t see the problem as worth fixing, price and quality don’t matter.
Do-it-yourself sets the price ceiling. If supplies cost $30 and the job takes an hour, customers compare your price to that.
You learn what to say. If people tried it themselves and failed, your website can speak to that directly.
You avoid a crowded fight. If everyone already uses one well-liked local company, you need a clear reason to switch (see 7.1.11 Customer Reason to Choose).

Who this applies to

Every new business and every new offer.

How to do it

In each interview, ask: “What did you do the last time this happened?” (see 7.3.1 Customer Interviews).
Follow up: “Why that choice?” and “What didn’t you like about it?”
List every alternative you hear, even “nothing.”
Count how many people used each one.
For each alternative, write down its cost, time, and main weakness from the customer’s view.
Search Google Maps and Google Search for your service in your area to see which local businesses come up (see 7.5 Competitor Analysis).
Write one sentence on how your offer beats each top alternative in a way customers said they care about.
Use those sentences on your service pages and in your frequently asked questions (see 13.4.2 Service Pages).
Make sure your Google Business Profile (GBP) categories and services describe what you do in the customer’s words (see 14.1.8 Categories).

What proof to keep

Your alternatives table: each option, how many people used it, its cost, and its weakness
Interview notes showing where each answer came from
Screenshots of the local search results you reviewed, with the date

Store these in your business planning folder with your interview notes.

Common mistakes

Only counting other businesses. Do-it-yourself and doing nothing are often bigger.
Assuming you’re better without asking. Customers decide what “better” means.
Bashing alternatives on your website. Explain the difference honestly. Unfair comparisons can raise legal issues (see 11.3.9 Comparative Claims).
Pricing against competitors only. Customers may be comparing you to a $30 kit.
Skipping this because the idea “obviously” works. That’s when it’s most useful.

When to get help from a pro

Most owners can do this alone. A Small Business Development Center adviser or SCORE mentor can review your table. Ask:

Am I missing an alternative customers use?
Is my reason to switch strong enough to pull people away from what they do now?

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short story or opinion here. For example, what SiteSmarty prospects did before they hired you, like managing their own profile or using a big agency, and what they disliked.]

How I did this for SiteSmarty

[Date I did this:]
[What I actually did, step by step: the alternatives SiteSmarty prospects use and how I found them]
[What it cost and how long it took:]
[What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
[Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: my alternatives table]
[Result so far:]

Questions people ask

Is “doing nothing” really a competitor? Yes. For many services, it’s the most common choice. Your marketing has to show why the problem is worth fixing.

How do I compete with do-it-yourself? Show what customers get that they can’t easily do alone: time saved, better results, safety, or a guarantee you can stand behind.

How do I find out what customers use now? Ask them what they did the last time they had the problem, and why.

Why does this matter for my Google profile? It tells you which words and comparisons customers use, so your services and description match what they search for.

Audit check

Question: Has the owner listed what customers do today instead of hiring them, based on interviews, with a clear reason customers would switch?
Pass looks like: An alternatives table from real interviews, including do-it-yourself and doing nothing. A written reason to switch for each top alternative. Website and profile use those reasons in plain words.
Fail looks like: Only competitors listed. No interview source. No reason to switch. Unfair attacks on alternatives online.
Evidence to collect: The alternatives table, interview notes, and dated screenshots of local search results.

Where this fits

Do this first: 7.3.1 Customer Interviews

Do this next: 7.3.5 Purchase Objections

Sources

U.S. Small Business Administration, "Market research and competitive analysis" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google" (checked October 16, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.