What makes a brand original? Authentic vs. Copycat brand

In today's world, market places are very saturated. Especially true for the fit and health industry. It is very lucrative to venture into this industry as the market size was at $87.23 billion in 2019, according to Statista, but how can one make a living in this industry?

You probably have heard it a lot of times that you have to create a stand out brand to be successful in business. And just like many of us, you have probably asked the question: What does it mean to have a standout brand?

It means that your brand is original a.k.a authentic. I know what you are thinking right now. "How do I know if my brand is authentic or just one in a million?"

Well, let's see!

5 Differences between an authentic and a copycat brands:

Although using someone else's brand as inspiration can help you start, it is wise to take a little longer to develop your own brand. Not only to avoid legal issues but to expedite your business' growth. After all, your reason for starting a business is different from other people's reasons. 

01. Focus:

Copycat brand: Copycat brands are usually complex, as they don't know what they stand for and who they exactly serve. They try to cater to everyone by offering a wide range of services and products. 

Authentic brand: On the other hand, authentic brands exactly know what they stand for and who they serve, so they always focus on simplicity. They understand their clients and thrive to make their customers' lives easier.

02. Relationship with the audience:

Copycat brand: Since copycat brands don't have a defined target audience, their messaging lacks empathy. Their message is very generic and tends to talk about features.

Authentic brand: Original brands close the loop of communication by getting feedback, and they connect with their audience a lot easier because they understand their clients' pain points and how to help them.

03. Structure:

Copycat brand: Copycat brands are built on a Unique Selling Proposition of service. These brands don't understand the emotional drive behind their customers' purchases, so they focus on unique features that others may not offer. Even though it is smart to focus on features that the market place is missing, it is not a long-lasting business model as others will want to catch up. The competition will start copying these features, so they need to reinvent the wheel over-and-over to sustain the business.

Authentic brand: Original brands are built on the Unique Buying State of the Customer. They understand that about 65% of purchasing decisions are based on emotions. They focus their message on the emotional state of the customer before and after purchase to encourage purchase.

04. Extensibility

Copycat brand: Copycat brands have single-use offers. These brands did not take the time to create a customer journey where the brand keeps re-inviting the client to engage with the brand. Having only single-use offers is risky because the brand has to chase new customers. It can depreciate the price of the service and doesn't allow room to create brand loyalty.

Authentic brand: Authentic brands understand that their customers are in different stages in the sales cycle, so they structure their services to create trust and brand loyalty over time. They have minimal value offers, that are a lot cheaper than their signature offers, to help new prospects to get a taste of the brand before investing a large chunk of money. 

05. Picture in client’s mind

Copycat brand: Since copycat brands don't focus on the customer journey, brand loyalty is low. People tend to forget about them because they look alike, sound alike, and act alike with Susie from the corner, who happens to offer the same services.

Authentic brand: Authentic brands are memorable because they understand their customer's struggles and feelings before the purchase, so they can focus on how to solve the problem instead of trying to sell someone on something they don't need.

All in all, taking the time to think about your brand from a customer's perspective can help your brand grow quicker, last longer, be memorable, and stand out from the crowd.

What else would you add? Leave your answer in the comments below!