And I—I took the road most traveled by.”—a Chickenshit poem. Chickenshits are notorious for being copycats in their marketing endeavors. They frantically rubberneck at all of their competitors and peers to see what they’re doing, what’s “cool,” and what’s being well-received. It’s like the saddest pied piper situation ever: a bunch of otherwise great businesses becoming an indistinguishable pack of rats.

Listen. No one is saying it’s easy to go your own way. No one is saying it isn’t wildly intimidating to see your colleagues adapting one message, while you go out and shout a different one. But when you market your business in a way that breaks from the pack, you not only allow yourself to be seen, you create your own dang pack.

And here’s a neat side effect of fun, humorous messaging: when you dial in to what sets you apart and how that can be communicated in a uniquely funny way…you become inimitable. So not only will you be free of the need to imitate other brands and their efforts, you become remarkably distinct and develop a voice that competitors and haters can’t touch.

So be a rat who plays her own damn music. People won’t just listen, they’ll probably dance too.