Why is copying someone else's marketing so expensive?
Short answer — Laurent Goffin, Belly & Brain: because each business model has a different marketing problem. Copying the actions of a company with a different model means investing in levers that solve its problem, not yours.
Apple sells mass-market products with a very strong brand, global distribution and extraordinary budgets. Your competitor may sell to another target, with another sales cycle. What works for them works for reasons of their own.
Before choosing actions, you need to identify two things: your model, and the type of market you sell to. They are the first two of the five questions to settle before investing in your marketing.
What is the main marketing problem of your business model?
Key takeaway — Laurent Goffin, Belly & Brain: a shop has a location problem, a product brand a distribution problem, a service a proof problem, a trade business a local reputation problem, a startup a speed-of-learning problem.
A shop: location, location, location
For a shop, question number one is location. Visibility first: being seen by the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Choosing the address is a marketing decision before it's a real-estate one.
A product brand: branding and distribution
A jam, cosmetics or drinks brand has a double problem: getting listed, and getting chosen. Being distributed, being seen on the shelf, being picked up. Packaging and brand do the work no salesperson will do.
A service: proof and reputation
A service can't be seen before it's bought. The customer buys a promise, often with a long sales cycle. The marketing problem is therefore proof: references, case studies, demonstrated expertise, content that answers buyers' questions.
That was the case for HM Sewertech, an SME: by structuring lead generation, its enquiries grew by +40%, then by +101% year on year (see the case).
A trade business: word of mouth and catchment area
A trade business lives on word of mouth, a precise geographic area, online reviews… and its van, which is its first billboard. The lever is local reputation and how easy it is to be recommended.
A startup: learning faster than the others
A startup often creates a market that doesn't exist yet. Its problem isn't getting known, it's learning fast: who really buys, at what price, through which channel. Marketing there is a testing device as much as a communication one. That's what we did with OTRA, building the brand and the product from scratch up to 200 sites in Europe (see the case).
B2C, B2B, B2G, B2B2C: what changes in your marketing?
Good to know: the type of market sits on top of the business model. The same service isn't sold the same way to a consumer, a company or a public administration.
- B2C (consumers): individual, often quick and emotional decisions; large volumes; brand and experience weigh heavily.
- B2B (businesses): several decision-makers, long cycles, reasoned decisions; proof, relationships and expertise content dominate.
- B2G (public bodies): public procurement, specifications, imposed timelines; compliance and references matter as much as the offer.
- B2B2C (through an intermediary): you have two customers to convince, the distributor and the end user, with two different messages.
Many companies are a mix. You then need to size each market, even roughly, and make choices: you don't run four half-hearted marketings.
Which marketing playbook for which model: the table
| Model | Main problem | Priority levers | Metric to track | Common trap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shop | Physical visibility | Location, shop window, Google Business Profile, loyalty | Footfall, average basket, repeat visits | Betting everything on social media |
| Product brand | Distribution | Listings, packaging, brand, shelf presence | Points of sale, shelf rotation | Polishing ads before distribution |
| Service (B2B or B2C) | Proof | References, case studies, expertise content, SEO/GEO | Cost per lead, conversion rate | Talking about yourself instead of proving |
| Trade business | Local reputation | Reviews, word of mouth, vehicle, catchment area | Quote requests, referral rate | Targeting too wide an area |
| Startup | Learning | Channel and price tests, direct contact with first customers | Acquisition cost, retention | Spending on awareness before validating the offer |
Method — Laurent Goffin, Belly & Brain: find your row in the table, then look at where your marketing budget goes today. If most of it goes to levers from another row, you're funding someone else's model.
Not sure which playbook really fits your business? Book 30 minutes with the founders.
Frequently asked questions
Is marketing a shop the same job as marketing a service business?
No. A shop first has a physical visibility and location problem. A service has a proof and reputation problem, often with a long sales cycle. Levers and metrics differ.
Should you copy your competitors' marketing strategy?
Only if they have exactly the same model and target, which is rare. Copying a competitor means funding levers that solve their problem. A benchmark is for understanding, not for reproducing.
What is the difference between B2B and B2C marketing?
In B2C, the decision is individual and often quick; brand and experience weigh heavily. In B2B, several decision-makers are involved over a long cycle; proof, relationships and expertise dominate.
What is B2B2C?
A model where you sell to an intermediary (distributor, insurer, reseller) who serves the end customer. You have to convince two audiences, with two different messages.
How do you sell to public bodies (B2G)?
Through public procurement: specifications, award criteria and imposed timelines. References, compliance and the quality of the bid matter as much as the offer itself.
What is the first marketing lever for a service business?
Proof: case studies, references, content that answers buyers' questions. A service can't be seen before it's bought, so the customer buys trust.
What is the first marketing lever for a startup?
Speed of learning. Quickly test targets, prices and channels with real customers before investing in awareness.
My company sells both B2B and B2C: what should I do?
Size each market, even roughly, then prioritise. Running several marketings half-heartedly costs more than running one well.
In short
There isn't one marketing, but playbooks by model: location for a shop, distribution for a brand, proof for a service, local reputation for a trade business, learning for a startup. The type of market (B2C, B2B, B2G, B2B2C) sits on top. Before copying someone, check they have the same problem as you.
Further reading
