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The world of online business is tough so it is sometimes a struggle NOT to copy the competition when they are doing better than you. However, there are A LOT of disadvantages to doing this and you may end up harming your business in the end.
Avoiding copying your competition is important because you need to figure out what works best for your company and your target market. While jumping on the bandwagon seems to be the easiest recourse when entering a competitive market, your online business has to carve its own niche. Following are the other down sides to replicating what competitors are doing.
3 Reasons to Avoid Copying Others
First: What is good for your neighbor may not be good for you. For instance, say you are in the business of selling sweaters and you copy your competitor's hip n' trendy magazine ad. But really, your sweaters are more for the 'older generation'. In this scenario, you MAY be able to bring in a few visitors but nobody will buy your goods.
Second: How do you know for sure that the competition is headed in the right direction? They may be succeeding this week but this does not mean they can maintain it; only time can tell that.
In fact, it is very likely that by the time you copy them, the marketing style they used may be already 'old' and as such will not bring your business anything. Most marketing successes are that because they gave the consumer something new , which is of course no longer the case by the time you copy it.
Third: Nobody wants to be called a copycat when it comes to online businesses (or any type of business for that matter) and here is why - copycats are always viewed as less quality. Indeed, if you blatantly copy the competition and consumers see this, they will immediately think of your product and service as inferior.
Competition is healthy. And if your competitor is really in the exact same business targeting the exact same audience as yours, then look at them to gauge how far you still need to go to succeed, but do not copy them. Instead, think of ways to be better!
Action Steps to Avoid Copying the Competition
- Focus on your own strengths. Get feedback from customers on why they like purchasing your products and services and start working from your own strengths.
- Take a good look at what your competitors are doing and start thinking of how you can come up with a better idea.
Important Points to Avoid Copying the Competition
- What may work for your competitors may not work for you at all.
- Your competitor may actually be headed in the wrong direction.
- Everybody hates a copycat.
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