Brand Recognition Problem

[White8]

A few years ago I purchased a business. The seller's son stayed with the company for a period of time as an estimator and then left to concentrate on a competing business that he purchased despite a non-compete (which should be resolved in a few months..).

Along with stealing all of the large customers that came with the business, he has done an amazing job of creating confusion in the market place. For the most part people think that he purchased my business from his dad and sold it to me or merged it with his business and that my business has nothing to do with the company I bought and the work that the business has performed in the last few years has actually been through him. He has also bad mouthed my business as well.

I'm at a loss as far as how to combat this.

 

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[Y.B.]

Sounds like a huge legal mess...you need a good lawyer

 

[White8]

Already in the process...

 

[randomnumber314]

Have you tried reaching out either via email or phone to your clients with a simple "thanks for being a customer, let me (re) introduce the business" type mesaage. Focus on the business you own, hammer the brand. It should be less about you and more about their relationship with the business.

 

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[White8]

I'm an electrical contractor and have contacted my former general contractor customers and although most have been polite they are not particularly interested in coming back. One summed it up the best when he said he didn't have anything against me, he just likes the other guy.

 

[randomnumber314]

I'm an electrical contractor and have contacted my former general contractor customers and although most have been polite they are not particularly interested in coming back. One summed it up the best when he said he didn't have anything against me, he just likes the other guy.

Them's the breaks man. All you can do is to keep finding new customers and making them happy. If you can get a chance to win a bid with these contractors, make them like you more. I know many people who would rather pay a little extra to go with a contractor they know/like than to get a good rate with an unknown.