I want to scream anytime someone says :
• “I want to be like xyz company because they seem to be making money”
It’s very unlikely your business will really flourish with this mindset.
You can’t just say “oh that business looks like they’re making money I want some of that pie” particularly if you don’t know how they got where they are today … or don’t want to put the time or money into it. OR worse, you want to make money but think that they charge too much so you want to be like them but cheaper without sacrificing quality … and without first reviewing what business expenses might be. I have heard it SO many times in my life it’s not even funny anymore.
You need to be your best self in business:
• “I have these core values and my business provides a valuable product/service for this need/desire/problem”
But I want to make a boatload of cash!
Money isn’t magic. Money also isn’t evil. Money is certificates of appreciation for something you sell or offer that someone else values. Money is a standardization of value instead of trading goats for crops and vice versa. Whether it fills a basic need, a desire or fixes a problem, people pay because it fulfills something in their lives. Physically or emotionally.
See also: Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs.
What makes you you?
Trying to be someone else means that you are less unique and have less to offer the world. And therefor people are less likely to give you those certificates of appreciation we call money. This doesn’t mean your business can’t be similar to someone else’s just that it needs to focus on what makes you unique. USP or Unique Selling Proposition.
Yell it from the rooftops!
So what about marketing? No matter how awesome your service or product is, “Build it an they will come” is not a reliable business marketing plan. Whether you market traditionally (magazines, tv or radio) or via more current method (social media, website, streaming radio) you need to have a USP and some effort put into spreading the word.
Do you still really want to BE amazon.com or Google or Apple or Microsoft or other large national organization?
If so, you really need to just go apply for a job with them.
