{"id":2203,"date":"2018-10-08T16:07:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T16:07:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=2203"},"modified":"2023-10-18T17:35:42","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T17:35:42","slug":"imitation-great-way-to-grow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ca\/blog\/imitation-great-way-to-grow\/","title":{"rendered":"Imitation Is A Great Way To Grow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s hard not to be jealous of some firms when you\u2019re a small business owner. There are those companies, for instance, that seem to have achieved a level of brand awareness that they\u2019re practically household names. There are others that seem to rack up sales <\/a>so effortlessly it\u2019s like customers can\u2019t wait to part with their money, and then there are the ones friends and family talk about glowingly in terms of the friendly staff they employ.<\/p>\n

Comparing yourself to others is usually not a great idea when the only outcome is a feeling that you\u2019ll never measure up. The best entrepreneurs, however, go beyond superficial comparisons and keep constant watch for ideas and best practices from larger, more established firms — as well as their key competitors. Even if their formal education ended in a graduation ceremony long ago, they tend to be constant students of the business world, looking to the best in their markets for inspiration the way you might seek out a successful individual as a mentor.<\/p>\n

What may seem challenging, at least at first, is how to study other businesses and imitate the right tactics and traits to fuel your own firm\u2019s growth. If you went to business school, the concept of using case studies to learn about success factors might already be familiar to you. Most entrepreneurs, however, might not feel they have the time amid their day-to-day roles to really look at other companies in such an academic way.<\/p>\n

The truth is there are lots of quick, easy and even fun ways to \u201csteal\u201d from the best and make their way of doing business your own, even if you have far fewer resources or are working in a much different industry sector. Try some of the following exercises to ensure the imitation you do as a business owner is the sincerest form of flattery:<\/p>\n

1. Create a Photo Album of Memorable Marketing Moments<\/h2>\n

The best camera most of us own is now hidden inside the smartphones we carry with us at all time. That\u2019s particularly handy when you\u2019re trying to study the secrets of your favourite businesses, because usually those firms have mastered the art of using images and words to build a brand customers will recognize and connect with in a positive way.<\/p>\n

As you travel from one meeting or another, or visit an industry conference, start taking photographs of any marketing content that reinforces that brand or helps it generate demand in some way. This could include:<\/p>\n