“Me Too” Marketing

Positioning your business as simply an alternative to your competition with little or no differentiation is often referred to as "Me Too" marketing.

Lots of us make this mistake and if you feel like you’re the only one, look at Microsoft and Apple. Even the mighty Microsoft is "me too"-ing Apples computer personification campaign with their own "I'm a PC" ads.

Check out the videos side-by-side and see what I mean on JDM's website.

In the meantime, here’s the fundamental problem with “me too” marketing. When buyers are comparing similar products and services they look for businesses that are different in a way they value. No differentiation, little or no additional value.

Here are a few marketing tips to make sure you’re differentiating and not a "Me Too."

Scope out the competition

Before you can effectively differentiate yourself from the pack, you have to understand what everyone else in the space is up to. Conduct a simple analysis by gathering the marketing materials from all your competitors. Identify their key messages and special offers.

Once you know how your competition is attempting to differentiate themselves, you can identify and evaluate your similarities and differences. If you find a great deal of similarities, you’re “me too” marketing and it’s time for an overhaul. If you find little similarities, it’s time to message your key differences.

Take a walk in your customer’s shoes

My favorite primary research activity is the "secret shopper." It works as well for B2B and as for B2C. Enter your own sales and marketing pipeline under another name and see what you find out. Try returning a purchased product or getting a refund for a service paid for but not rendered.

Taking a walk in your customer’s shoes will give you valuable insight into the effect of that bureaucracy that only makes sense on white boards and corporate retreats as well as providing a deep understanding of how the purchasing process really works.

Consider also, taking a walk in your competitor’s customer’s shoes.

Get a personality

In homogeneous, commoditized markets, a little personality goes a long way. Consider giving your brand an image, an attitude or a figurehead. Whether in the form of the tone of your content, the accent of the voice over or the wardrobe of the spokesperson, it’s important that it provide the Brand with more than an identity, but a personality.

Slightly-related reads on differentiation and positioning:

• Big Marketing Ideas Blog: "6 Unknown Rules of B2B Marketing"
• Big Marketing Ideas Blog: "Ruin a Rebranding in 5 Steps"
• MarketingHasEvolved.com: "The Unattainable Triangle"
• IpsumNEWS: "No One Can Resist a Monkey"

See Apple's "I'm a Mac" video side-by-side with Microsoft’s me too Video "I'm a PC" on JDM’s website: http://www.marketinghasevolved.com/tips_me-too.php.