Build It And They Will NOT Come

It is a very risky business person who believes that the product will create the need. We may argue that IBM and Microsoft with the desktop PC and DOS and then Windows is the exception and, the internet is certainly in many cases creating a need. However, it could be argued that the need was waiting patiently dormant for the innovators to play catch up. In other words, Sci-fiction movies from the 50's through the 60's and TV shows like Star Trek had already created the need for high tech tools and toys. In my mind, only a fool would risk everything on passion alone. Any amount of marketing intelligence, no matter how little, is better than no marketing intelligence at all.

When I first entered into the world of Custom Home Building I took a course which started in the States which upon completion provided me with more letters after my name. CSP, Certified New Home Sales Professional. One of the trainers, a large home development builder in Dallas, Texas, left me with the best advice; don't build the home you want to live in, build the home your market will buy.

From that point on I tried as often as possible to get some information, any information, that would protect my investment. I have found over the years that informal and formal surveys work very well. The informal survey is when you are asking the same questions to your customers and prospects over their desk, over coffee, over lunch or over dinner. I would ask questions that try and get a sense of where their future needs may be coming from and would also be a mix of finding out what problems they are experiencing and "what do you think of this idea that I'm kicking around in my head?" The informal survey takes longer so it is generally used for long term plans.

The formal survey is when you actually create specific questions to identify if a need exists in a target market you are considering entering into or to identify how to improve sales by identifying the needs of the prospects which in turn will be used later for marketing by addressing their needs with the benefits of the product or, of course, the services offered. There are many online survey tools you can use, for example; I use Survey Monkey, which is very user friendly and inexpensive. For larger ventures you may want to consider using a Third Party company which can also provide great analytics with the reports. The internet of course, with a properly built web solution can be a great resource for ongoing analytics. Any way you do it, just do it.

Build it and they will come is in most cases...build it and they will NOT come.