Inventing an ingenious product is only the first step to having it be recognized and appreciated. If you’ve invented a product but no one has access to it, how will you be able to create an impact? Getting comfortable with the art of marketing is a vital skill that all inventors must hone.
Here are 7 tips to help you start marketing your products:
1. Know Your Customers
One of the easiest traps to fall into when you start to market a new invention is assuming that your product is for everyone. While it may reach wider audiences as time goes on, your marketing power lies in starting with a smaller customer base.
Think about the purpose of your invention. Who is the ideal customer? That is where you want to start. Begin by using marketing strategies that will target your base customer. Once you start building a following of loyal users, you will be able to expand your target range.
But remember: your original customers give the best indication of your product’s value and impact.
2. Start Narrow
Make your marketing plan specific. This ties in with knowing your customer base. Rather than trying to reach every person in a certain radius, identify specific characteristics like gender, age, occupation, interests, and send your product marketing their way.
When you start narrow, you’re able to grow a certain client base which is more likely to be a consistent and solid foundation. With an established following, your product will gain more credibility. That way, when you decide to branch out, potential customers outside of your original target group will be more interested in learning about your product.
3. Iterate, Evolve and Listen to Your Superfans
Be willing to go back to your product time and time again to see what can be improved. Your initial prototype may be the best possible version in your eyes, but once it hits the market, the people using it will offer you valuable insight into how you can enhance your product’s significance.
This is where your superfans come in. You’ll know them when you see them. As you begin marketing your product, you will attract superfans who truly believe in your product’s value and want to see it evolve in ways you may not have even thought of.
Be willing to listen to the advice of those who believe in your product and adjust accordingly.
4. Don’t Let Perfection Stop You
This is a good tip for all inventors. Perfectionism is a trait that challenges the best of us. At the end of the day, waiting for a product to be perfect before starting to market it is simply impractical.
Get your product to a testable stage and put it out there! The feedback you get from consumers is the juicy information you need to move your product closer to the perfection you seek.
5. Tell Your Story
The market is full of just about everything you can imagine. How do you make your product stand out in a crowd of similar prototypes?
Connect it to a human feeling. Tell your story!
Modern consumers don’t want to know how your product was made and what parts it includes. They want to know your personal connection to your invention. What makes you tick? Why did you feel compelled to share your product with the world? This is how you engage potential customers.
6. Get Media Attention
You can take your marketing to a whole new level if you get media attention. If you’re new to the marketing field, it may feel intimidating at first. Take small steps and start putting yourself in the position for media features.
Seek podcast opportunities. See if you can talk about your product on your local radio or news station for a few minutes. Media attention is a useful tool because it brings instant focus to your product and can lead to more traffic on your website and social media accounts.
7. Leveraging the Power of Video and Social Media
Last but not least, do not underestimate the power of social media and connecting through video. This era is all about instant gratification. People want to see the person behind the invention and feel that they’re buying from a real person.
Use video and social media to start building a personal brand.
Remember, the most important step in the marketing process is to get started!
