Spying on your competition. Sounds intriguing, right? Sorry.  I'm not talking about doing anything illegal. I'm talking about getting to know your competition in order to improve your business by doing things better.

Visit the websites of your competitors through the eyes of a consumer. Better yet, ask a friend to do it with you. What are they doing right? What are they doing wrong? How does your site compare?

While you're there, subscribe to their newsletter or RSS feed. Find out what they are up to. Send them an e-mail inquiry. How quickly do they respond? Is the e-mail you receive professional looking? Now do the same for your business. Is the person handling the e-mails doing so in a timely and professional manner?

You can do all this from the comfort of your own home anytime of the day or night. There's no excuse for not doing it.