Dear Aunty B,
I run a successful small business and last year we created a new product in conjunction with our customers. The problem is that after saying they would buy it, they haven’t. We have tried doing some marketing of the product to a wider marketplace but have found that very expensive. We are not sure what the problem is, but a few customers have told us that if they buy the product they would have to change to many other things in their business. We have tried to explain to them the benefits of doing that but they don’t get it. How do we get them to see the future?
Frustrated,
Mel
Dear Frustrated,
You don’t, you ning nong. Have you heard that expression the customer is always right?
Well, in this case it happens to be true. You have not listened closely enough to the customer while developing this product. An essential part of innovation is this: very early on in the piece, look at what your customer is currently using. Because don’t kid yourself. They already have a solution – yours is just better. You must look at how they buy the existing solution, when they buy it and what systems and processes it fits.
Your new product must fit their existing systems or it is just too hard and difficult and expensive for them to consider.
It’s back to the drawing board – and this time focus on the customer, not the future.
Co-founder of Seek Matt Rockman made a great comment on SmartCompany the other day.
“I prefer businesses that don’t require people to change their behaviour, just modify it,” he said. “I prefer businesses that don’t require large companies to change their processes.”
Good luck!
Your Aunty B
James was the editor and publisher of SmartCompany and LeadingCompany for five years. He is now the Australian Financial Review‘s companies & markets editor, and a former BRW editor.
