Wham! You have just created the greatest thingamajig since the invention of the wheel! It’s got the watchamacallits, that one thingy, and the all encompassing whamboozle. As you take a step back you realize that nobody in the world should be alive unless they have this one of a kind product. You place your must have invention in front of the masses and ….nothing…nobody seems to care…why?
If are having one of these “must have” moments you may want to take a seat because this information might really shatter some egos. So grab a tissue and brace yourself. The reason nobody seems to care about your idea is because….well…nobody cares about your idea…simple as that. Once you realize this and change the way you think about your you will begin to understand why people do not respond to your product the same way you do.
Why consumers just don’t care
When was the last time you hung up on a telemarketer without really hearing what they had to say? How long ago was it since you started flipping through channels, just to avoid the commercials? Companies just like you are trying to present their product to thousands upon thousands of people who don’t care. As consumers we are bombarded by commercials and sales people trying to present to us why their invention is the must have of the season. It does not take very long for consumers to become desensitized to these forms of advertising, and often to a point of mental fatigue.
Consider how much time you have spent with your product. You know more about it than anyone alive. You may have spent hours upon hours training with your newest ”must have” to learn every quirky detail imaginable. The unfortunate reality is it is extremely difficult if not impossible to convey this infatuation with your idea onto the average everyday consumer. The key is to have the consumer sell your product for you.
Having Consumers Work for You:
How do I make consumers work for me? If you can answer this question you have won half the battle, and are well on your way to winning the war. There are millions of ways you can generate hype about your product without exhausting consumers before they have had a chance to see it. All this is accomplished through social media efforts. Instead of forcing yourself on the consumer, allow them to come to you. Here are social media tricks which have worked for various companies:
Website: Make your website an interactive playground where people can learn about your gift to the world and can see for themselves how amazing it is. For example, if you are selling cooking supplies, consider making a video demonstrating proper technique of your new gadget making an irresistible meal. Have other everyday people demonstrate your product for others. Consumers love neutral parties, so testimonials of people outside your company can be a powerful tool. Skittles really took this concept to heart when designing their new website. They completely threw out the traditional website idea and now when you visit www.skittles.com you are presented only with other social media sites like Twitter, and Facebook where real people are talking about Skittles. This is one product that does not need a sales team because the entire nation is selling it for them.
Blogs: Just like the website you want to keep the blog interactive, blogs are ideal locations where consumers can ask questions about your thingamajig and have them answered in the comment section.
Other Social Media: When integrating social media platforms resist the urge to fall back on traditional advertising .Intensify efforts to interact with the public, ask questions, answer questions, and just be involved. (Be sure to market your invention or idea on the right platform by targeting the right audience. Read Facebook Vs. Myspace to discover which site best fits your project.
Free Stuff: Everyone is a sucker for free stuff. The saying “If it’s for free, it’s for me!” seems to have become the theme across America. Use this to your advantage. Many companies consider the number one rule of marketing is to get the product in the consumer’s hands. Take it one step further and get your product into their homes. If your product is truly amazing they will be using it when friends come over, they will be dying to show the next big thing they have to anyone who will listen. Now look what you have…your own marketing team working for free.
Don’t just giveaway products because you can. Do it intelligently. Place your products in the right hands. Find someone consumers trust and listen to, someone who has a large amount of followers which can be shown your product after they have tested it. This will increase your marketing effectiveness and you will be able to use testimonials gathered to increase your inventions authority as a must have. Consider using poplar bloggers, many will jump at the chance to try something new and will post about the experience on their blog.
Learning to have consumers interact with your, company, or brand takes time and massive amounts of patience, however, many have seen that once the gears are in place, and all the right parts are greased and ready to go, it becomes difficult to stop the train once it leaves the station, and this is one locomotive you never want to stop.
What have you done with your product/idea? Let us know by adding it to the comments.
