Monday Memo

A Byte of Knowledge

That feeling when you’re supposed to be working… but you just can’t.

Your brain starts whispering excuses.

Too tired.
Not inspired.
Maybe later.

Here’s the truth about that feeling.

It’s a liar.

It’s chemical noise between your ears.

It has zero authority over what your hands do.

You might think the sequence goes:

Feel motivated → Take action → Get results.

But that's completely backwards.

The real sequence is:

Take action → See progress → Feel motivated.

You are the CEO of your actions, not an employee of your feelings.

You don't need their permission to get to work.

So sit down.

Open the laptop. Type one word.

Now you've already won half the battle.

🚀 Whether you're selling a $50 supplements or a $10,000 coaching program – having these 5 'Copy Blocks' on your landing page could be the difference between crickets and an avalanche of cash flow.

Discover All 5 'Copy Blocks' Now

Something to Ponder

We Asked – AI Answered

Our Question: 

“How do you protect yourself from cheap knockoffs? I saw a new game called bucket golf - great idea - but my first thought was some big amazon company will just knock this off in 3 months.”

AI's Answer:

💡Build a Brand Moat – Not Just a Product

“A brand is a moat. A product is a drawbridge.” – Rory Sutherland

Why it works:

• According to a 2022 McKinsey study, brand loyalty drives 40%+ of repeat purchases, even in commoditized categories.
• Brand is a shortcut for trust, especially on crowded platforms like Amazon where buyers can’t physically inspect quality.

Tactics:

• Use emotional storytelling in your ads.
• Build a community around your product (like Spikeball did with tournaments).
• Get early user-generated content and press (earned media beats paid media for trust).
• Make your packaging an experience (see: Apple, Liquid Death).

🔑 Knockoffs can copy your product. They can’t copy your cult.

💡Dominate the Channel (Fast)

Speed is a moat. Especially online.

Why it works:

• On Amazon, the first-mover with great reviews gets algorithmic advantage. Best Seller tags. Buy box. High velocity = higher ranking.
• Once you rank, clones will look like you—but you'll show up first and more often.

Tactics:

• Be aggressive on Amazon FBA: get 100+ 5-star reviews fast.
• Buy the keywords before others can.
• Seed product with influencers early (not just ads, but usage videos).
• Expand to retail if you can (physical presence adds legitimacy, which clones lack).

🧠 Think like a virus: infect every surface before the immune system (competition) adapts.

💡 Use Strategic IP (But Don’t Rely on It Alone)

Legal tools aren’t fast, but they’re deterrents—like barbed wire.

What’s real and useful:

• Design patents – Protects the look/shape of your product. Easy to get, but only covers “substantially similar” designs.
• Utility patents – Harder, slower, more expensive. But stronger if granted. Rare for toys/games unless there’s real novelty.
• Trademarks – Absolutely essential. Own your name, logo, slogans. It’s the only thing Amazon really respects on takedowns.
• Copyright – Protects rulebooks, art, packaging copy.

🔒 In 2021, Amazon took down 3 million counterfeit listings - but only when trademark/IP owners reported them.

Expert insight:

• Kevin Plank (Under Armour) filed dozens of design and wordmark trademarks before going mass market. That’s how he slowed Nike from eating him alive.

💡Out-Innovate Yourself

"Disrupt yourself before someone else does." – Clayton Christensen

Why it works:

• If you have only one good product, you’ll be leapfrogged.
• But if you keep releasing new variations, versions, or experiences—you become a moving target.

Tactics:

• Bundle exclusive accessories (see: YETI coolers with branded bottle openers, chairs, dog bowls).
• Add a software layer (apps, score-tracking, community features).
• Release limited editions, seasonal colors, new rule sets—anything to force buyers to prefer the original.

🧪 Like Nintendo: constant iteration prevents becoming stale.

💡 Control the Narrative

The best protection is being seen as the original.

Why it works:

• In psychology, this is primacy effect – the first version people see becomes the standard. Later ones are dismissed as “knockoffs.”
• Once you own the origin story, knockoffs feel like fakes, not options.

Tactics:

• Use your website to tell your founding story clearly.
• Run ads that say “The Original” or “As seen on Shark Tank” (if true).
• Trademark phrases like “The Original Bucket Golf Game.”

🧠 Read: Robert Cialdini’s Pre-Suasion for how early framing can make people ignore copycats.

Thanks for reading the Monday Memo.

Until next time!

The AI Marketers

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