http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10292031-75.html

Many companies, when turning to eCommerce or digital technologies, tend to allow themselves to be influenced by products or services that are already available out there.

Travel agent wants to develop an online tool that can generate more leads…they build a price comparison tool for hotels…it’s been done. Media company wants to promote a new TV show…they build a countdown widget to the show together with a ‘community’ or social network…it’s been done and it’s way too much copying for our liking.

Now on a bigger scale, Microsoft thought perhaps they could rival Youtube with Soapbox, albeit try to do it better to complement their range of online offerings including email, blogging, social connections etc. with Soapbox.

But if you can’t build something better. It’s generally best to just not do it. Spend the money somewhere else, put it into your communications budget, buy more ad inventory, optimize your existing website or start another sales promotion campaign. Chances are it’ll be much better ROI.

Many clients seem to gravitate like a bell curve towards the few examples they’ve read in some digital marketing magazine or online blog and request their marketing communications people or product marketing managers to look into those. As marketing agencies, their creative agencies or media agencies should tell them otherwise….but it’s tricky ‘cos they make money from building assets for clients. Conflicting interests. They might even try to sound like they’re ‘thinking for the client’ by suggesting building something else which is probably just slightly more innovative (and perhaps from another magazine or case study they read). That’s why we choose to remain neutral. :)

But anyway, so do take note though, if you can’t do it better, think very hard if you should go ahead and do it anyway. If even Microsoft with its deeeeep pockets and resources couldn’t…makes it even more important for the rest of us to scrutinize what we’re building or developing.