Whilst some level of competitor awareness and analysis is healthy, when we focus too much on the competition, we fall into copy-paste mode, assuming that their marketing is successful and ours is not. We then default to the same channels, tactics, formats and messages, irrespective of whether they are right for our business or align with our brand. We put competitors at the heart of our strategy, instead of our clients.

We need to break the comparison-itis curse and regain our focus on clients. We need to be confident in our decision-making, and creative in our marketing. We need to shift our thinking from ‘it works for them so it must work for us’ to ‘what’s right for them might not be right for us’. And then we need to find what is right for us and create it.

That’s not to say that the right path is singular and static. Marketing today is omnichannel by definition, but by defining one golden thread, one key message, or one killer format, we can find clarity. Similarly, as an industry that never sits still, opportunities are constantly emerging and shifting, meaning that our thinking has to be flexible and fluid. These are the very conditions which lead to comparison instead of creativity. We have to make a conscious effort to turn down the noise and forge our own path.

Here are three (very) simple ways to do this:

 

Plan around pain points

Your marketing strategy should quite simply focus on solving client pain points through crafted solutions. Once you have defined your target audience or ICP, they should be at the centre of every marketing decision you make, from channels (where do they spend time, search for information, build relationships?) to messages (what do they need to know, when, and in what format?). Having a clear plan keeps you focused when tempted to compare (and copy) activation tactics of other businesses. Be aware of what others are doing but don’t let it derail you.

 

React in the right way for your business

Ignoring brand building for a second, marketing is a balance of proactive (planned) and reactive (unplanned) activation. But knowing how to handle impromptu requests from stakeholders, and knowing whether to jump on new trends, becomes easier when you know your brand and your audience. Reactive marketing demands a certain level of speed, but taking a moment to react in the right way for your business will save time in the long run by avoiding costly and timely mistakes and missteps. If in doubt, refer to your strategy and what underpins the decisions you’ve already made, then apply the same thinking to new trends before following them. If the trend fits your brand and is suitable for your target audience, great. If not, don’t deviate from your plan just because your competitors have.

 

Measure by value not vanity

We can become distracted by chasing bigger numbers because we’re told that growth is the end game. But growth can be achieved in many ways and not all require quantity, especially at the expense of quality. Define what value looks like for your clients and it will reveal what success means for your business. Choose marketing metrics which contribute to that success rather than metrics that look impressive.

 

Creativity lies at the heart of good marketing strategy, and yet we’ve become an industry that compares campaigns and copies content for fear of not doing enough, or doing the wrong thing. We’ve lost our confidence to be creative, to take risks, and to be different. We’ve become complacent. In this context, brands are blurring into one, we’re swimming in a sea of sameness. It’s time to stop comparing, start creating, and stand out once again as brands with distinct solutions and propositions. If you’re ready to forge your own path in marketing, get in touch to work with House of Comms.