friend copying too much

proof that no good deed goes unpunished

[too much information]

I have a friend in another market that is starting out in their own business and asked for some help in getting started. We thought this would be a good chance to test our business model in another market to see how it would perform so we gave some advice and direction and hoped that they would build on it to create something unique. (Our model worked beautifully)

Well... now they have copied nearly every aspect of what we are doing, and every change we make they incorporate.

In the beginning we invited them to work on one project with us so they could get some experience. Now, months later we have a HUGE marketing opportunity based on that project and because it is the only project they have it is all that they are showing and it looks like they may get a good portion of that publicity due to geography and the publishers marketing contract.

Like I said, this is a friend and I would like to stay friends, but how do you let a friend know it's time for them to start doing their own thing?

And how do I ask them to stop showing that project (their main sales tool) so that I can avoid possible conflicts in my publishing contract?

Should I set up an IP redirect so that they don't go for my site layout as well?

:o(

[diddlydazz]

My personal take would be that you have helped them enough already!

And how do I ask them to stop showing that project

As a friend they should understand that the time has come for them to stand on their own two feet, if they don't then say that you are certain at some point there will be issues with a duplicate content penalty.

Should I set up an IP redirect so that they don't go for my site layout as well?

this can fall under the DUP content point above, personally i would stop this anyway.

at the end of the day i don't know how your relationship is with this friend, but i think they would probably understand (or get over it ;o) )

dazz

[too much information]

LOL - duplicate content penalty

I was actually talking about an "offline" project, but it's funny how the term still applies.

I'm not so worried about the duplicate content (online) as much as my layout, color scheme, etc. It's one thing to have a virtual clone in another city, but to have that clone online as well would just be too much.