How to Respond When Your Business or Marketing Strategy is Copied
Have you ever had someone copy your business, product, or marketing strategy? It’s not uncommon, and it can be frustrating. But what should you do about it? In this article, we’ll explore the best ways to respond when someone copies your business or marketing strategy.
Ignore Them – It’s a Compliment!
The first thing you need to know is that most of the time, it’s best to ignore them. Yes, you read that right. When someone copies your business or marketing strategy, it means you’ve done something right. It’s a compliment, and you should feel flattered. Don’t waste your time and energy worrying about them. Instead, focus on execution and providing a great experience for your customers. Keep improving, and you’ll stay ahead of the curve.
Real Case Study: David vs Goliath – The Peak Design Story
However, what if a giant copies you? How do you respond and defend your business? Let’s take a look at a real case study on how a small company stood up to Amazon.
Peak Design is a travel accessories company that sells various types of bags to its customers. Amazon Basics copied their flagship sling bag. This could have overwhelmed any other brand, but Peak Design decided to take the fight to Amazon in a different way. They created a hilarious ad calling out Amazon and showing how their product is better.
The ad positions their product against Amazon’s cheap copy in three key areas: innovation, environment-friendliness, lifetime guarantee, and awards. The ad’s punch line is, “Whichever one you buy, you’ll get exactly what you paid for.”
This is a great example of appealing to the audience to choose innovation over cost and quality over a bad ripoff.
Tips for Copying in the Right Way
Copying or being inspired by your competition is not necessarily a bad thing, but you need to do it the right way. Here are some tips:
- Understand that your offer and positioning may be completely different from your competitors. Make adjustments to your landing page accordingly.
- The customer journey from lead to purchase can differ significantly from your competitor. Make the required changes to the journey to suit your customer base.
- Observe the overall flow of your competition’s marketing campaign. Click the ads, sign up for the products, and note down what you like and don’t like in a marketing campaign.
- Take inspiration from catchy elements of your competitor’s landing page, such as the video explaining their value proposition or the way the sections are designed.
If You Notice Someone Copying Your Marketing Strategy
If you notice someone copying your marketing strategy and creatives, increase your innovation. Produce different angles and refresh your campaigns and creatives at a faster pace to stay ahead of the curve.
Conclusion
When someone copies your business or marketing strategy, take it as a compliment. Focus on providing a great experience for your customers and keep improving. If a giant copies you, don’t be afraid to take the fight to them, as Peak Design did. Just remember to copy in the right way, and if you notice someone copying your marketing strategy, increase your innovation.