Por Maritza Morales
Now that we're starting the year, for many of us, part of the goals is to start a new business or project. Bravo! If you've already decided to embark on this journey, you're on the right track.
When you have an idea of what you're going to sell and even a business plan to start with, we must not forget that the customer is not ourselves! This is a big mistake we make when we fall head over heels for our idea and believe that everyone thinks like us, so the project is destined to be a success.
Before embarking on the production of large quantities of a product or developing an entire system for the sale of a service and making a significant investment in what this entails, it is necessary to ask ourselves if there is really someone interested in acquiring what we are thinking of selling.
The first step that an entrepreneur must consider is to conduct market research and benchmarking to assess the feasibility of the project.
Don't fall in love with your idea! It may seem contradictory, considering that we've always heard that we should be the first to love our project, but you are not the one who will buy the product or acquire the service.
It is necessary to seek to satisfy the needs of those people whom you want to be your consumers, and the best way to do this is to specialize, offering something targeted to a specific niche. This is called niche marketing. It's better to be the dominant player in a small market than a small competitor in a huge and highly competitive market.
Many times we forget about this small but significant detail and believe that just because we have a good idea, that will be enough. And I'm not trying to sound pessimistic, but rather to be realistic. Start by asking yourself, "Why?... Why would someone buy your product or service? What are you offering that the competition doesn't? What makes you unique?
If it's a physical product, it's essential to conduct market tests to gather feedback from consumers. If it's a service, likewise, trials are offered to receive real feedback from potential users. It requires more than a positive opinion towards what you're trying to market; it requires a genuine intention to purchase, that people are willing to spend their money in exchange for it.
Once the necessary qualitative and quantitative studies have been conducted, a response or guidance can be obtained to make adjustments in the product/service, price, design, method of offering/delivery, whether the promotion and distribution channels are appropriate, etc.
It is never too late to try something, to launch a project or a business, and carry it out with as much information and data as possible. It is necessary to work every day to achieve the objectives one by one, being consistent, seeking to do one thing well repeatedly, which will lead us to specialize in what makes us different, unique, and relevant.