Phones are blowing up. Samsung designed a faulty product that is reeking havoc in their company, and more importantly it’s denting their reputation.

You can’t have phones blow up. Not good. Then people don’t want to buy your product.

The cheap and easy advertisement that Apple could then put out to promote the iPhone7? “Our phones don’t blow up.” But of course Apple doesn’t do that. They sell their phones on the integrity of the quality, the history of innovation and design, and the reputation they have carefully built.

What does this have to do with wine? Simple: as a sales rep, when was the last time you lambasted a competitor’s product? Everybody has done it. “Our wines don’t suck. Their wines do.” Maybe not in those words, but I have yet to meet a sales rep that doesn’t firmly believe in their hearts that their wines are always superior. It’s part of the game. And every once in awhile even the best sales reps slip and start to point out (supposed) faults of the competitor’s products.

Take the high road. No need to point out your competitor and try to elevate yourself by showing how low on the pole they are. Learn from Apple, build your brand, and pay attention to your reputation instead of your competition.