If you build it, they will come???
Unfortunately, “Field of Dreams” isn’t reality. Far too many business owners build their dream, and then no-one comes. Why? They didn’t tell anyone. Wait, don’t tune out yet, this isn’t a Why Advertise? Lecture. This is a HOW TO… When you are launching a new business, or a new product or service for your business –you only get one shot at an introduction. You have to make it a good one. Before you launch, think it through. Ask yourself some basic questions:
- Who will use this product/service? (Identify your target customer, and their lifestyle and daily habits)
- Do people know about my product/service?
- Do users have to switch from another product/service to use mine? Whywould they switch?
- Do users have to adapt to my product/service, because it’s new to the market? Why should they?
- Where? What is the geographic area that I can reasonably pull from?
- How can I reach my target customer most effectively? Hint: chances are this won’t be just one way, talk to your marketing consultant. This is where we go to work.
- Talk to your staff – they may have some ideas on how to maximize the impact of a new product/service. I have seen some very good ideas ignored, and some REALLY bad ones put in motion. We’ll sift them out.
DO NOT LAUNCH A NEW PRODUCT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THESE BASIC STEPS. Failure to take it through a planning process can detract immensely from the impact of a launch. Got an idea? Let us make it reality. Got an example of a good launch? A bad one? Please share – we can all learn from past experience.
