![\"DMScott](\"https:\/\/www.davidmeermanscott.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/DMScott%20Business%20Mastery%20in%20person-2.jpg?width=450&height=300&name=DMScott%20Business%20Mastery%20in%20person-2.jpg\")
When you think about positioning your business, where do you turn for comparison?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Most executives and marketers default to benchmarking against their direct competitors. They analyze rival products, pricing strategies, and marketing campaigns. Their goal is to improve by small increments.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an instinct, but it\u2019s also a trap. By measuring yourself against the competition, you risk becoming a slightly better version of what already exists\u2014a “me too” brand that\u2019s marginally cheaper, faster, or more efficient.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not a leadership position. It\u2019s playing catch-up.<\/p>\n
The Best Comparisons Come from Other Industries<\/h2>\n
True leaders don\u2019t obsess over the competition. Instead, they look beyond their industry for inspiration.<\/p>\n
Consider industries with heavy regulation\u2014pharmaceuticals, finance, and healthcare. Many organizations like these take a conservative approach to marketing, fearful of stepping outside the norm. If banks only compare themselves to other banks, they\u2019ll all end up with the same predictable, uninspired strategies.<\/p>\n
Forward-thinking marketers at financial institutions don\u2019t just look at what other banks are doing; they study brands that engage consumers with storytelling, digital experiences, and bold messaging. Why should a bank avoid using YouTube just because its competitors haven\u2019t embraced video content?<\/p>\n
The Power of Learning from Unlikely Sources<\/h3>\n
Some of the most exciting marketing innovations happen when organizations borrow ideas from completely different industries.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Nonprofits take cues from for-profit businesses.<\/li>\n
- B2B marketers study B2C engagement tactics.<\/li>\n
- Service providers model product companies.<\/li>\n
- Lawyers learn from novelists.<\/li>\n
- Novelists learn from journalists.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Stepping outside your industry forces you to think differently.<\/p>\n
My Own Approach: Learning from Rock Stars<\/h3>\n
![\"Madonna\"](\"https:\/\/www.davidmeermanscott.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Madonna.jpg?width=450&height=336&name=Madonna.jpg\")
I\u2019ve always been fascinated by live music. I\u2019ve been to over 1,000 live performances since I was a teenager and at shows I study how musicians connect with their audiences.<\/p>\nI don\u2019t have any musical talent, but I\u2019ve applied lessons from the musical stage to my work as a keynote speaker.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve learned a lot from artists like Miley Cyrus, Jack White, Madonna, and Mick Jagger\u2014musicians who own the stage and build a deep connection with their audience. I notice how they move, how they interact, and how they make their performances unforgettable.<\/p>\n
At my speaking events, I sometimes do unusual things I learned from watching rock stars. For example, I might invite audience members onto the stage for a photo.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If there is a large speaker or monitor on the stage, I try to find an opportunity to jump onto it and lean into the audience\u2014just like a lead singer commanding a crowd. I\u2019ve never seen another business speaker do this, and that\u2019s exactly the point.<\/p>\n
By learning from rock bands instead of business speakers, I\u2019ve developed a more unique and personal style than if I had simply followed industry norms.<\/p>\n
Where Do You Look for Inspiration?<\/h3>\n
Do you limit yourself to studying the competition? Or do you seek fresh ideas from outside your industry?<\/p>\n
The best ideas often come from unexpected places. Maybe your next breakthrough isn\u2019t in your sector at all\u2014it\u2019s waiting for you in a completely different world.<\/p>\n
IMAGES: David Meerman Scott at Tony Robbins Business Mastery via RRI. Madonna at TD Garden in Boston by David Meerman Scott.<\/p>\n
![\"New](\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/413105\/e5b62938-97f3-40a1-9bc9-f10843b48ec1.png\")
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