Get Creepy
Like The Burger King.
McDonald’s spent millions finding the perfect locations.
They analyzed traffic patterns. Demographics. Visibility. Drive-time. You name it.
They weren’t just flipping a coin. They were engineering demand by planting golden arches in the most optimized, high-footfall areas on the map.
Burger King?
They waited and watched.
Then just opened next door.
No fancy models. No expensive research. Just smart strategy.
It’s called “shadowing.”
Let someone else swing first. Then piggyback off the momentum they’ve already created.
The smartest B2B companies? They’re doing the exact same thing.
They’re not treating go-to-market like a blank canvas. They’re watching the incumbents.
Not to blindly copy them but to reverse-engineer what’s working.
Because here’s the thing:
A lot of the big players in your space are spending millions per quarter on advertising and brand.
They’ve already figured out:
Which channels drive pipeline
What ad formats actually convert
Which narratives resonate with buyers
Where attention lives right now
They’ve done the expensive testing. They’ve paid the stupid tax on what doesn’t work. They’ve lit money on fire so you don’t have to.
So no, don’t just rip off their playbook and expect it to work the same. Their pricing, audience, and goals are probably different than yours.
But there’s still a ton you can learn and apply if you’re paying attention.
Sometimes it’s about what they’re doing.
Other times it’s about what they’re not doing (which can be just as revealing).
Shadowing done right isn’t lazy — it’s leveraged. It’s not about chasing the same tactics.
It’s about spotting the signals:
Where they’re over-investing (there’s a reason)
Where they’re under-investing (there’s an opportunity)
How their positioning is shifting over time
They already spent millions to swing the bat. Your job?
Swing smarter
Thanks for reading,
Adam
