“Well THIS looks familiar…” I thought to myself.
While conducting research in a new market last week, I came across a LASIK self-test that looks eerily similar to one that our firm published last year. Upon further inspection, it’s not similar. It’s a carbon copy.
Exact same questions, same text (with my quippy, conversational tone) and even the same images. Of all the images out in the world, she couldn’t be troubled to take 5 minutes and find new pictures to swap them out.
This was a literal theft job of my agency’s Intellectual Property (IP), which happens all the time btw. Multiple times per year, we see something out in the wild that someone took from us and published as their own. It’s not a new issue.
And the same thing happens to you in your practice from time to time, especially as a top dog in your market.
So I want to take a minute and talk about what I’m THANKFUL for in this situation, and how I’m responding to it. Which may be useful to you the next time you’re dealing with this.
“Wait wait wait… you’re THANKFUL someone stole from you, Troy?!”
I’m not saying it’s GOOD, or that you should WISH it upon yourself, or that it’s OK. I’m not condoning it.
But I mean this with all sincerity – there’s a RELIEF that comes when you see someone stole your intellectual property.
Think about it:
When I look and see someone has taken our creations, carbon copied them and posted them as their own, I know their thinking is CAPPED. This shows me that:
- They lack the creativity it takes to build new funnels and campaigns.
- They lack the brand-building skills, since they’re just copying tactics out of our playbook.
- They lack vision.
- They lack the braintrust our clients have with us, to collab and formulate strategic approaches to practice growth BEYOND simple tactics. They have NO ecosystem AROUND the self-test – the reviews, the brand, the patient experience, the content – to actually make it effective.
All they have is one tactic out of our massive playbook, which will only take them so far (and may even take them BACKWARDS if misused).
Taking someone else’s IP and using it as your own is like me saying, “Wow, Steph Curry sure is good at those long shots 10-feet behind the 3-point line. I’m gonna use that same tactic in my pickup basketball games!”
Meanwhile I don’t have any of the years of experience (brand, processes), the team, or the complementary skills (strategy) that makes him effective in the first place.
I’m just taking one tactic in isolation and putting it to use, and I’m not even using it the right way (because I don’t know how). Won’t get me far, will it?
More:
Stealing IP is tying their own hands behind their back. They handicap themselves as soon as they take something and pass it off as their own. Even if they have a good strategic approach generally, deep down they know what they did, and that will haunt their subconscious daily.
And lastly, as long as you’re always iterating, anything someone takes from you will be outdated soon anyway.
We’ve already made new updates to this particular self-test, just like you should be doing with your funnels, creative, copy, positioning, sales wordtracks, internal processes and more. You’re always skating to where the puck’s gonna be, while they’re always trailing you.
So did I care someone stole our self-test? Honestly yes, for 5 minutes. It’s frustrating. But am I thinking about it? Writing this piece is the most I’ve thought about it since I discovered it, but otherwise I’m not sweating it for all the reasons outlined here.
In closing, I hope this thought process helps next time you face the same situation.
Do you agree with how I’m looking at it? Or do you think I’m a total moron for approaching it like this? Either way, reply and let me know!
– Coach T-Cole
PS – To be clear, there ARE certain times to confront another practice about their theft marketing. Maybe they copied an element (like a self-test) you developed and are currently running, and they started using it too. Or they’re making a false claim about their experience, being the first / most to do XYZ, that you know AND they know is NOT true, etc.
In those situations, usually still no need to get lawyers involved. For my clients, I’ll just call up the other practice (or their marketing folks), have polite but assertive words with whoever I need to talk to, and get it handled / changed / removed.
This “IP Enforcer” service is one of the many perks of our Marketing Advisory Program, which has been closed for 6 months, but has ONE spot opening up in November.
If you think you might be interested in 1-on-1 guidance and strategy for your marketing campaigns, training your marketing team to think like an agency, and setting yourself up for a banner year in 2024… email / message me “Banner!” And I’ll get you more info. 💪🏻