The Sameness Epidemic: Why Your Marketing Isn't Working Anymore

In a world where AI makes everyone sound like an expert, standing out means standing up as yourself.

The Day I Noticed Something Was Wrong

Something strange has been happening in the online business world.

I first really noticed it about 6 months ago, but it's been building for a while now that AI is truly taking hold. I was scrolling through Instagram while at my son's baseball lesson (one of the perks of being a business owner – I can work from anywhere), and I saw three different business coaches sharing almost identical content:

• Same structure

• Same promises

• Same carefully-worded claims about "scaling to 6-figures"

I thought maybe it was just a coincidence (I clearly don't spend much time on social).

But then I started seeing it everywhere:

• Websites that could be interchanged with no one noticing the difference

• Email sequences that follow the exact same formula

• Sales pages that make identical promises with only the names and logos changed

And here's the thing – it's not just happening to a few businesses. It's everywhere.

The Sameness Epidemic

This is what I've started calling "The Sameness Epidemic."

With AI tools now writing marketing copy, creating content, and even designing websites, everyone suddenly sounds like an "expert." The tools have leveled the playing field in the worst possible way – by making everyone sound identical.

Last week, I received two different sales emails from two different businesses. Entire paragraphs were virtually identical. I had to check the sender twice to confirm they were from different people.

This explains something I've been puzzling over for months.

"The Market Is Down" Is a Myth

I keep hearing people say "the market is down" or "people aren't spending money right now."

I hear business owners complaining that:

• Their funnels aren't converting

• Their ads are too expensive

• Their social media has stopped working

But that's not what I'm seeing with my clients who are thriving right now.

The truth is far more interesting: the market isn't down.

People ARE still buying – they're just not buying sameness. They're not buying generic. They're not buying what feels like it was created by an AI prompt.

The Market isn't Down. Boredom is Up. Sameness is Up.

People are tuning out what bores them. And right now, most marketing is painfully boring because it all sounds the same.

When you can't tell one expert from another, how do you choose who to trust with your time, attention, and money?

The Opportunity Hidden in Plain Sight

This might sound like bad news.

But for a small group of business owners, this "sameness epidemic" has created (and will continue to create) an unprecedented opportunity.

Because when everyone zigs, those who zag suddenly become the only ones visible in the crowd.

I'm seeing this play out in real-time with clients who have stopped trying to sound like everyone else and started embracing what makes them different. Their results are nothing short of remarkable.

Because in order to stand out in today's market, you must STAND UP as yourself.

There's something powerful happening beneath the surface here, and it explains why some businesses are thriving while others struggle.

In my next post, I'll share what's really going on when your marketing feels disconnected from who you truly are – and why this disconnection might be the hidden reason your business isn't growing the way you want.

Join the Conversation

Have you noticed this "sameness epidemic" too? Shoot an email to [email protected] and let me know if you're seeing the same pattern. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

And don't get me wrong, I use AI all the time and totally geek out creating AI tools to help my clients get results faster. I'm not against AI at all – I'm against sameness.

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About the Author: Melissa Ricker is a former nuclear engineer turned 7-figure business mentor. She helps coaches and course creators engineer predictable high-ticket sales using her signature LightBulb Method. When she's not helping clients turn on their prospects' lightbulbs, you can find her attempting to draw (badly) or chasing after her two energetic boys.

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