What are your thoughts on being ‘original’ in the business world? Do you think yourself and your business are being ‘original’ enough to survive in the modern day business world? Let’s talk about that.

Obviously, being an original is always better than being a copy. As many business people have pointed out from their observation of the market and from their own experiences, originality is that extra factor that could help set a business apart from their competitors and accelerate their success, no matter what industry they are operating in. Unfortunately, it’s getting harder for businesses to situate themselves as being ‘original’ in the marketplace nowadays, especially when they are an online-based venture.

herman-melvilleMany businesses, mainly those who have lost touch with their brand identity and originality, have chosen the dark path of ripping off others’ ideas and content and using it as their own in their futile attempts to maintain their brand presence in the consumer’s mind. However, by doing this, they have also eliminated any chances for their organisation to distinguish itself from millions of other similar businesses in the market – an element that will help them win the hearts and loyalty of consumers.

I believe in the idea of being “inspired” by other people’s works. It’s totally okay for you to be inspired by other people or businesses that are successful in your field and follow their footsteps to come up with new ideas that mimic their works. However, remember this:

There is a fine line between being inspired by someone, and being just another copycat.

Many people hide behind this idea of being “inspired” by others and straight up steal ideas from those sources of inspirations. These idea thieves can rip off anything from someone and shamelessly pass it on as their own, even if it’s just a storytelling style or the colour scheme of a website.

One more thing to add is that some people don’t intentionally hide behind the label of “being inspired” – they really don’t know what they are doing is not right. Are you sure that what you are doing is original? One way to not make this mistake is to check with yourself constantly:

Are you thinking for yourself and your brand, or just copying from someone else?

There is no clear black and white answer to this debate on originality. However, as I’ve said above, being an original will always trump being a copy. Those who just copy from other people all the time can never end up as a winner because all they do is just sitting around waiting for the next great idea to happen so they can live off it, which is why they will always be behind those who truly are original. Constantly being authentic and original to yourself and your brand are what will take your business to another level and give you great and long-lasting success.

Have anything to add to this blog? Share your opinions with me on this topic of “Being Original” by leaving a comment in the comment section down below.

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