The most important phrase in marketing

At a Vinnie's on Saturday raiding their used books section.

You wouldn't believe the gems you'd find between $1 and $4. Once, I found a copy of The Copywriter's Handbook and Empire State of Mind for $2 a piece!

Anyhoo...

While browsing, a 60-something gentleman, a fellow bibliophile struck up a conversation.

"So many books, so little time", he said.

I agreed, desperately hoping this conversation wouldn't drag.

I picked up a copy of Undisputed Truth (Mike Tyson). Although I have a copy of it, it is back in Sri Lanka. So, why not have a second copy here?!

The guy saw that and said, "One hell of a fighter, hey".

"The best".

We started talking about boxing, mainly Mike Tyson's fights. Making comparisons like the professionals we both are. 🤣

We were praising Tyson's "peek-a-boo" style.

I commented on how many boxers try to copy it.

The guy said,

A lot of mistakes come from copying people playing a different game than you.

That line stayed with me.

Like a pebble landing in a still pond, it created a ripple of ideas.

While it applies to many aspects of life, it's true for marketing too.

As marketers, we try to emulate what others do without any context of their budget, goals, etc.

A small B2B business wants a website like Apple's.

A 2-person marketing agency wants to create more content than Gary Vee.

We compare our Point A to someone else's Point X.

It's better to look at where they started, and emulate that, not forgetting to customise it to OUR situation.

If you sell fruits, don't blindly replicate a realtor's strategies.

Context matters.

So, the most important phrase in marketing is...

It depends.

What you need to do DEPENDS on a range of factors.

Your goals, strategy, tactics, and resources.

A one-size-fits-all funnel or a spankin' new website ain't gonna cut it.