A “me too” brand is one that looks, sounds, and makes promises just like their competitors. Every business tries to outshine their competition, but just saying all the same things but louder doesn’t work. You can’t make people think you’re better by saying the same old things.
How do you avoid being a “me too” brand? In the video above, Todd talks about how to avoid just that.
Every day, Wendy’s faces a giant in their industry, McDonald’s, and manages to succeed. How do they do it? They differentiate themselves.
When McDonald’s said that they’ve served “billions and billions,” Wendy’s didn’t try to say that they’ve served more people. First, it’s not true, but second and more importantly, McDonald’s already had a grip on that space in the fast food market. So, Wendy’s made themselves look different by pointing out that they never freeze their beef. McDonald’s can say they “lock in freshness” by freezing, but Wendy’s lets you know their beef is fresh in the first place. That’s a solid reason to choose Wendy’s over McDonald’s.
A lot of businesses will say that their “quality and service” makes them better than their competitors, but everyone says that. Who is the customer supposed to believe? In the end, you’re just hoping they choose you from a sea of similar messages. The minute you say your “quality and service” is what makes you better, you’re a “me too” brand.
Sticking out in people’s memory is easier to do when you are different from your competitors. Being different is how you let people know that you’re better.
Odds are, your business is already unique. You just have to find what specifically makes you special. There’s a reason your customers choose you over your competitors. You have to dig deep and find out why. When you know what that is, you can tell everyone, and let them know what your existing customers already do.
Maybe your turn around time is the fastest there is. Maybe your product is the healthiest. Maybe you provide custom options instead of cookie-cutter options. Wendy’s said they were the freshest, not “the best.” Their customers decided that was the best. If your competitor is McDonald’s, you need to be Wendy’s.
