Who was the greatest #8 of all time?  That’s debatable, but the most interesting is likely Yankee catcher Yogi Berra.  In 1984, when asked about the poor record of his New York Yankees, Yogi said, “I wish I had an answer to that because I’m getting tired of answering that question.”

We can’t get in our DeLorean and go back in time to help him, but we can give you a quick pointer:

8.) Respond to negative press about your competitors or your industry.

• It can be controversial and it may make you an enemy or two within your industry, but consumers and the press are looking for strong voices - and will listen when one speaks up.

Newspapers trying to stay alive recently have begun introducing a platform whereby visitors are have to pay a fee to access online content. National Public Radio’s (NPR) president and chief executive Vivian Schiller shared her concerns regarding this model in a pointed manner, favoring the Financial Times way over others.

When offering opinions on a competitor, position your company as the solution, without boldly bashing your competitor.  Tact is more than important in these instances; it’s imperative.

As Yogi said about Baltimore Orioles’ Outfielder Frank Robinson in 1969, “If you can’t imitate him, don’t copy him.”