What Does It Take To Create A Practice That Rocks?

We live in an interesting world. It seems like there is something "out there" in objective reality that is "real" and "tangible." But we can only ever perceive it through the subjective apparatus of our mind. We can never have an objective experience. We don't even know what such a statement means. 

The purpose of this article isn't to probe deep philosophical problems. It's just to point out that perception is much more important than many entrepreneurs believe. How customers feel about a product is usually much more critical than its measurable properties. 

Take the iPhone, for instance. While modern versions are good, there are plenty of more advanced products on the market that use better processors and have more memory. Apple, however, gets around this problem by focusing on customer perceptions, no product realities. It uses its marketing to create a narrative that almost completely ignores the products themselves and simply focuses on how they make people feel.

It's a wise strategy. The real world is still a constraint on what companies can achieve with finite resources. So if Apple can convince people that less expensive and resource-intensive products are better, it can achieve higher margins than its competitors.

So what does it take to create a product that rocks? The answer, in marketing terms, is simple: a good story. 

But how do you get there? Let's take a look. 

Know Yourself

Occasionally, businesses can cook up great products or services and deliver them to the market. But most of the time, the revolutions happen at the grassroots level. People have a problem in their lives, and so they decide to do something about it.  That’s where mediators and arbitrators come in.

Fundamentally, most products and services are organic. Entrepreneurs make things for themselves and then only afterward discover that they have broader market appeal. But the basic requirement is to have an "aha" moment where you know you've got something that can solve real problems in people's lives. 

It helps to have a masters in product development for creating something suitable for modern consumers. But the basic requirement is to have an "aha" moment where you know you've got something that can solve real problems in people's lives.

Use Testing and Surveys As A Form Of Marketing

If you've come up with a great idea, the next step is to start asking clients if they they too think it’s a great idea. Then begin testing it to see whether it works. Most mediators, arbitrators, and attorneys will beaver away behind closed doors to create an idea or something for their clients. But by using this approach, they sometimes miss a trick. 

Testing is actually a chance to find out a little more about what clients like and want. Thus, testing can become a form of marketing. 

Start Small

While including as many bells and whistles as you can seems like a good idea, it adds complexity and wastes time. Furthermore, most of your clients will only want your service for its core benefit. All of the added extras are often unnecessary.