It has often been said that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” While that may be true, imitation is also a high on my list of certified brand-killers.

Branding is all about differentiation. I say that all the time, and I can’t say it enough. Businesses need to prioritize how they stick out from the crowd. Typing that last sentence seems trite, because it should be such a no-brainer by now. Yet, every day I encounter entrepreneurs who effectively dilute their brands by imitating what other companies are doing.

Brand imitation basically falls within two main categories: Competitor Imitation and Non-Competitor Imitation. I have ascribed syndromes to them based on my clinical study of entrepreneurial behavior.


Competitor Imitation A.K.A. “The Restrictive Cat-Skinner Syndrome”

In my opinion, this is the more egregious of the imitation types. This is a business owner essentially proclaiming, “I am going to copy what is working for another competitor in my industry.” This notion is precipitated by the oft-held belief that there is only one way to skin a cat.

Folks, there are so many ways to skin a cat that I’ve often considered drawing a hairless kitty-cat as our company mascot. There is a lot of gold to be had, and it’s not all buried in the same location. It should be a major warning sign when you are afraid of embracing an original idea because that’s not what your competitors are doing.

The role of Restrictive Cat-Skinner doesn’t make sense because it only makes the competitor you’re copying look that much better to your potential customers. I have never, ever seen a copy-cat (too many feline analogies today?) overtake the original in either brand-awareness or profits. If anything, copying someone else reinforces how smart they were to begin with. To beat your competitors, you have to be better than your competitors, and better equals smarter. It doesn’t take a lot of brains to say, “I wanna do what they’re doing.”

Non-Competitor Imitation A.K.A. “Ventriloquist Amnesiac Syndrome”

Can you imagine what it would be like for a ventriloquist who has manipulated a dummy for so long that he forgets how to talk regularly? Your customers need to hear your voice, not something manufactured for effect. When you copy a non-competitor, you create a generic, soul-less “dummy” that you’re trying to funnel your own voice through. After awhile, you forget what your authentic voice even sounds like.

The biggest risk you run by imitating a business outside your industry is that you automatically lose specificity with your branding. The more specific you are to your customers’ emotions and needs, the more powerful your branding becomes. When you imitate a competitor, you’re mimicking a magic trick intended for a different audience. Being specific brands you as an expert.

Let’s say that a guy named Harold opened up a new store that actually sold magic tricks, along with magician paraphernalia, books on magic, etc. One of the worst things Harold could do is make his magic website look like Amazon.com. Harold loves shopping on Amazon… he loves how clean it is and how simple it is to shop. One big problem: Amazon is a generalist department store that sells anything from magic tricks to futons.

See, Amazon could never, ever hope to have a specific emotional impact on these magician shoppers because of their generalist trappings. If you have a magic shop, then it should look and feel like a magic shop. Sometimes we use the term “look and feel” too loosely, forgetting that “feeling” is all about making an emotional connection. If you want people to buy more from you, boost the emotional aspect of your store experience. That’s how to compete when Amazon drops their fishing line in the sea of your industry, amongst all the other big and little fish you’re competing against.

Is it always wrong to look elsewhere for inspiration? No, of course not. You can always tailor ideas to meet the specific brand “voice.” I highly encourage looking at other stores for inspiration on usability, for example. Usability is not branding, because good usability standards apply to any industry at any time. Where you have to be careful is when inspiration… becomes imitation.

NEXT WEEK: If imitation should be avoided, innovation should be the goal. I’m going to share my top-secret tips for brand innovation, delighting your customers along the way. See you next week!