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How much time to spend on branding before launch? How to best test the idea?

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Hi guys,

I have a question. Currently I'm working on a new brand of functional foods. Not the easiest niche, I know, but it's the first project in years that I haven't abandoned at the first sign of trouble to pursue something new (classic Shiny Object Syndrome). I still stuck with it and tried to solve the problems. Interestingly, a lot of the problems I've had lately have disappeared into thin air.

So I've made a decent amount of progress in the last months through very small but regular steps. At the moment I have three formulas for products almost ready, I have a producer/filler who will make the products for me, and I've found another possible second producer (so I'm not completely dependent on a single manufacturer - though I'll keep looking here for others too).

Now the question for me is how to proceed. The next two most important points are branding and then of course selling.

And here I am a bit out of my depth. I recently read Brand Seduction and I thought it was a very good book. The question is how much time should I invest in the actions that are suggested in the book for branding. In other words: how much time should I invest into branding at the beginning?
I mean, for example how long should one spend looking for a name? The book mentioned the example of Warby Parker. Apparently, the founders spent half an eternity looking for the perfect name.
However, I would like to launch relatively soon. So should I just pick a name that is good enough, but not perfect? On the other hand I think, that a good brand is necessary (or will at least facilitate things) to really get this project going. So the question is whether I start with a ready-made brand or develop the brand over time and start only with the fundamentals.

The investment for the launch (if I launch with all three products, which I want to do, as it makes the most sense) will be a little over 10,000 bucks. That's why I would like to test the idea/brand first - that is, check whether the products are interesting for potential customers and could actually sell. Can you give me some tips here on how best to do this?
I was thinking of a Google Ads campaign that leads to a landing page. Then I would look at how much impressions/newsletter signups I get.
Are there any other/better ways to do this?

Thanks.
 
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check whether the products are interesting for potential customers and could actually sell.
Is anyone selling something similar? How are they doing it?

Who would buy it? Where would they find it? Where do they hang out online?
 

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Is anyone selling something similar? How are they doing it?

Who would buy it? Where would they find it? Where do they hang out online?
Yes, there are a couple of companies (not many) that sell similar products. They sell their products on their own website, but you can also find them on other online shops.

I have not yet defined the target group. I see this as the first step in branding, but I haven't started branding yet.

However, I think that this is a good starting point. I'll check it out and report back.

Thanks.
 

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I have not yet defined the target group. I see this as the first step in branding, but I haven't started branding yet.


You know the products you want to make but haven’t defined the target audience first?

Shouldn’t it be find a need then offer a solution?
 

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How do they get people to their website?
Good question. Most traffic from google is organic, but they also use Google Ads. Besides that they are active on social media, they have an active blog, you can buy their products on Amazon and other onlineshops and they are also in the media.

So basically, through many different ways.
 

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You know the products you want to make but haven’t defined the target audience first?

Shouldn’t it be find a need then offer a solution?
You are right.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr_sj4Cq6GM
However, after watching the above video, I decided to try to find value skews for a certain type of product. As MJ says in the video, with two or three positive value skews you have a business, with more you have a productocracy. That's what I'm trying to do right now.

I have probably expressed myself too imprecisely. I basically know pretty well who the target group is and that there is a need. But I need to narrow it down further, because the target audience is still too general at the moment, and there are several possibilities here. The decision of how I niche down further, is what I meant, when I said, that I haven't yet defined the target group.
 
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Good question. Most traffic from google is organic, but they also use Google Ads. Besides that they are active on social media, they have an active blog, you can buy their products on Amazon and other onlineshops and they are also in the media.

So basically, through many different ways.
Can you get more specific?

Questions to ask yourself (not necessarily answer in here):

What did they search for on Google? What copy was in the ad or organic listing they clicked? What does the landing page offer?

On Facebook, how are you targeting them? What was promised in the ad? What do they see on landing page?
 

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It's about focusing on Pre-Selling: Get first 100 customers as FIRST THING FIRST no matter what
 

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It's about focusing on Pre-Selling: Get first 100 customers as FIRST THING FIRST no matter what
You are totally right, that is the most important thing. Any tips on how to do that?
 
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Dan Kennedy once said a good brand should be easy to spell ... easy to remember ... and suggestive of the service or product being provided.

Split test using different landimg pages and find out which brand name works best.
 

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You are totally right, that is the most important thing. Any tips on how to do that?

Demarco said this over and over in his own forum: Solve a problem by packaging in product THAT people as in audience are willing to pay you by wanting your product. A potential prospect must say this sentence: "This guy is selling than the other guy" aka competition. Make sure the value skew is on point.

Start with 1 Mr/Miss ABCD Customer.
Once that 1 Mr/Miss ABCD Customer. bought from you, tell that 1 Mr/Miss ABCD Customer, spread the word, and get referrals, and once you do this correctly in order sequence, you will start having an influx of incoming referrals. It's gonna take time a wee bit.

Do not go to the next level until you get at least 25 to 50 customers. 100 is just around and a nice number. Focus on the first 20/25 customers. It's gonna be a temptation to go next level from a psychology angle, so "stick to basics" no matter what.
 
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