subject: Getting Your Product In The Market [print this page] If you are one of the many Americans that have decided to start your own business, you are about to embark on one of the most difficult yet fulfilling endeavors. The most important part of beginning and more importantly maintaining a successful business is marketing. In fact, your strategy for marketing your company might make or break your business.
If you have a product that you are excited about and think others will enjoy too, you'll need to build a comprehensive strategy to ensure that people become aware of your product. Just having a great idea isn't enough. You will need to spend a great deal of energy marketing that product.
Your first step is to create a sales plan. You need to figure out your sales market and what kind of demographic you are targeting. Who is most likely to buy your product? Make sure to be specific. If your product is target towards men, be more specific. What age group? Are they unmarried college age men, middle-class men in their late forties, etc? The more specific your demographic, the better. Next, make sure to set detailed sales goals including specific numbers and methods you will use to achieve those sales goals. Also include timelines with your goals so that you have deadlines to keep you motivated.
The next step is to develop and refine your product. Make sure the design of your product and its labels is at or above to industry standards. Look into custom label printing so that your product stands out among the others. Your packaging is a huge part of your marketing. It is more than just the way your product looks. It should attract customers while at the same time meeting their needs in every way and representing your business positioning.
Once you've established a sales plan and your product is ready to go, it is time to build your market. Begin by selling directly to end-users or consumers. A great way to begin is through online sales through your own website or through an auction site. This will help you build a buzz about your product as well as helping you figure out what works for you and what doesn't. Once you've achieved success in this arena, you'll be ready to get your product into stores.
Through all of these steps the most important factors are hard work and perseverance. The first few years will require many hours and you may not feel like you're seeing results. But if you stick to your marketing plan and work hard, your product will be a success.
