Are You Copying Big Brands? Here’s Why That’s a Fail.

Every brand's different. Think different. (iykyk)

Let’s be real: Have you ever copied a big brand’s marketing strategy because you thought, ‘Well, if it works for them, it’ll work for me’? Spoiler alert: That’s one of the biggest mistakes a startup can make. I’ve heard too many stories (mine included) about times where leaders would push their marketing teams to ‘copy that campaign’.

Firstly, you’re not that big brand. You will never be. Face it. And why so? Big brands have immense budgets to spare, a reputation that has been built over time, and big teams to do the legwork. If you’re a new startup still trying to find your footing, copying a big brand’s ad will not bring you any benefit because you will not be able to deliver. Now, what DO startups have?

Startups have the following, in my opinion:

A knack for scrappiness

This means focusing on low-cost, high impact strategies without burning your wallets. Think social media, organic channels that you can first tap into to build your brand presence.

Connection to your audience

As a smaller company, you have to keep your customers close. Don’t talk like a big brand. Be real, authentic, and acknowledge the ones that have supported you from day 1 (or even day 100!). Build personal connections, speak with your customers & get feedback on how you can do better for them.

Focus is key:

I’ve mentioned it in my previous post, but being able to go deep into a niche audience is an advantage for startups, because you can really understand what it takes to solve the problem for an audience who will love you and appreciate your product, before going mass to the world. Focus your messaging, value propositions and make it work for them.

So, don’t go around copying another brand until you figure this out: Does this align with my startup’s growth? Will this benefit me?