The Beauty of Originality: Why Copycats Won’t Win in Design + What to Do Instead
Along your business journey, I’m sure you’ve heard an expert ask, “What problem does your product solve for your ideal customer?”
That specific solution is your onlyness factor — what makes your business unique. And this is what will help your business stand out from the crowd.
There’s a difference between getting inspired by others’ work already on the market and straight up replicating what you see.
Copying someone else’s work will not only get you lost in a sea of look-alikes, it could also tarnish your reputation — or result in a cease and desist letter from another company. Yikes! No one wants that.
At Copper Bottom, we’re extremely mindful and cautious when it comes to creating products that are similar to those already on the market. And we get there by asking this one question:
How can we make this unique from what’s already out there while also aligning the design and aesthetic with YOUR brand?
Because here’s the thing: you are building a brand.
And every brand has a unique look, feel, and purpose.
If you start copying other companies’ products, you’ll end up with a bunch of products that don’t have a cohesive look — resulting in a very weak brand.
And this, in turn, will hurt your sales and make your business journey even more difficult than it already is.
Copying someone else’s work may seem like a shortcut, but it will hurt you in the long run. (Not to mention, it’s a disrespectful move towards those who HAVE put in the work to create that highly unique product you love so much.)
So, next time you get stuck and find yourself wanting to create something similar to what’s already on the shelves, ask yourself these questions:
What is MY ideal customer’s problem, and how will this product solve that problem?
Does this product/design fit my brand, or will it look out of place?
Is this design at least 50% different from similar products on the market?
Am I proud of how unique this product is?
Put in the work, get creative, and be true to yourself and your unique brand.
If you do that, chances are, you’ll be the next trend-setter.
Dare to be different. It’s the ones that are different who make the biggest splash.
Have you been feeling inspired and ready to kick off the design process for your own custom planner?
I created a guide featuring 5 things your day planner MUST include . . . and it’s available now at the link below.