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The importance of testing, betas & trials.

sparechange

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Hola senors & bonita senoritas.

I just wanted to share an idea for the forum that is extremely important, a concept that should be implemented into pretty much every business.

Testing!

I've been offering out free trials (for a product) and am asking for feedback on my idea, getting some mixed bags of reviews with some people liking my packaging/product etc and others not or worse.... crickets. Of course, it's literally IMPOSSIBLE to make everyone happy although as entrepreneurs we can strive to achieve this unlikely goal, running around and collecting data and analyzing the averages and improving upon things that people have expressed dislikes with is absolutely amazing when it comes to making our ideas better.

I've been shocked to discover despite making a few sales there has been some ghosting involved, which is a bit worrisome. But even silence doesn't mean nothing, it indicates that people aren't excited about the product (which is feedback in itself) Since I am offering a free product in exchange for feedback I've had a few prospects give me the old ghosting, my online dating experiences revived 2.0 and sadly it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm not 6'4 & 265 pounds of raw muscle (hey I still have a hairline atleast) :humph:

But more likely that maybe my product stinks? Who knows, again some people like the product, some don't.
That's the beauty of testing, one of my favorite things I've gotten from Unscripted is the productacracy concept & focusing on value, if indeed my product lives up to expectations there is no need for me to market it (infact I am not at all atm and somehow alot of people are finding my site)

So far I've learned......

  1. I'll need to improve the actual product itself a bit
  2. Some complaints have been received on the packaging (I don't think this is that important but it could be) I had a few people tell me they absolutely LOVE it) so I'll need to run averages on it
  3. Listen to people on what they want / need from the product
While I have a product that could ?maybe survive on the push theory by heavy marketing and spamming out offers/deals/discounts as some companies do, my goal is here to have a product that markets itself, by listening to people & improving the overall functionality of it, letting people talk about it at the dinner table and suggest it to their peers.

Are YOU currently engaging with your own followers? When is the last time you asked them what they like or don't like about your own ________ Hearing what people want from you should have a very heavy emphasis & complaints are very much welcome.
 
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Last edited:

alexkuzmov

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Hola senors & bonita senoritas.

I just wanted to share an idea for the forum that is extremely important, a concept that should be implemented into pretty much every business.

Testing!

I've been offering out free trials (for a product) and am asking for feedback on my idea, getting some mixed bags of reviews with some people liking my packaging/product etc and others not or worse.... crickets. Of course, it's literally IMPOSSIBLE to make everyone happy although as entrepreneurs we can strive to achieve this unlikely goal, running around and collecting data and analyzing the averages and improving upon things that people have expressed dislikes with is absolutely amazing when it comes to making our ideas better.

I've been shocked to discover despite making a few sales there has been some ghosting involved, which is a bit worrisome. But even silence doesn't mean nothing, it indicates that people aren't excited about the product (which is feedback in itself) Since I am offering a free product in exchange for feedback I've had a few prospects give me the old ghosting, my online dating experiences revived 2.0 and sadly it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm not 6'4 & 265 pounds of raw muscle (hey I still have a hairline atleast) :humph:

But more likely that maybe my product stinks? Who knows, again some people like the product, some don't.
That's the beauty of testing, one of my favorite things I've gotten from Unscripted is the productacracy concept & focusing on value, if indeed my product lives up to expectations there is no need for me to market it (infact I am not at all atm and somehow alot of people are finding my site)

So far I've learned......

  1. I'll need to improve the actual product itself a bit
  2. Some complaints have been received on the packaging (I don't think this is that important but it could be) I had a few people tell me they absolutely LOVE it) so I'll need to run averages on it
  3. Listen to people on what they want / need from the product
While I have a product that could ?maybe survive on the push theory by heavy marketing and spamming out offers/deals/discounts as some companies do, my goal is here to have a product that markets itself, by listening to people & improving the overall functionality of it, letting people talk about it at the dinner table and suggest it to their peers.

Are YOU currently engaging with your own followers? When is the last time you asked them what they like or don't like about your own ________ Hearing what people want from you should have a very heavy emphasis & complaints are very much welcome.
I`m in a similar situation, although I havent made any sales yet.
Long story short, I got into producing cosmetic items for my spouse about ~2 years ago.
Last few monhs I`ve been giving free samples of lip balm and body lotion and like you I`ve had a mixed bag of feedback.
Things I`ve learned so far(excluding yours since you said them already):

1. Some people dont care about your product, whatever it is, might as well be a dried up leaf which they throw away as soon as you give it to them.
2. Product apeal > Product quality.
I`m sorry to say this, but its true.
People like what they like and no matter how many times I explain that synthetic aromas lessen the quality of the all natural lip balm I`m making, they still insists on "Can you make it smell even more of coconut??"
3. Pricing is irrelevant. Asking "how much would you pay for this" has gotten me some weird looks.
I think that if I put a price on the product, people will either buy or not buy based on value AND price.
BUT asking them how much they think it should cost, they got 0 answers.
4. Source your supplies from multiple places.
If one of them goes bye bye, your production wont be interrupted.

As for engagement, all I`ve done is face to face for now, no online presence at all.
I dont want to rush before I`ve confirmed demand.
 

sparechange

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Nov 11, 2016
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I`m in a similar situation, although I havent made any sales yet.
Long story short, I got into producing cosmetic items for my spouse about ~2 years ago.
Last few monhs I`ve been giving free samples of lip balm and body lotion and like you I`ve had a mixed bag of feedback.
Things I`ve learned so far(excluding yours since you said them already):

1. Some people dont care about your product, whatever it is, might as well be a dried up leaf which they throw away as soon as you give it to them.
2. Product apeal > Product quality.
I`m sorry to say this, but its true.
People like what they like and no matter how many times I explain that synthetic aromas lessen the quality of the all natural lip balm I`m making, they still insists on "Can you make it smell even more of coconut??"
3. Pricing is irrelevant. Asking "how much would you pay for this" has gotten me some weird looks.
I think that if I put a price on the product, people will either buy or not buy based on value AND price.
BUT asking them how much they think it should cost, they got 0 answers.
4. Source your supplies from multiple places.
If one of them goes bye bye, your production wont be interrupted.

As for engagement, all I`ve done is face to face for now, no online presence at all.
I dont want to rush before I`ve confirmed demand.

You may want to include a small pamphlet explaining the benefits of non synthetic aromas inside the packaging (or on the box/tube)

The market is a funny place, we just need to cater to it. If they want more synthetic & toxic armoas, guess you gotta give it to them!
 

Jon L

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what is common about those people that 'absolutely LOVE' your product? I'm no expert on this, but that sounds like a golden opportunity to me. Here's another thought: if you 'improve' the product, would the people that love it currently love it more, or would it reduce the intensity of their feelings for it? If it does the latter, maybe you shouldn't improve it?
 
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sparechange

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
161%
Nov 11, 2016
2,804
4,502
Canada (Vancouver)
what is common about those people that 'absolutely LOVE' your product? I'm no expert on this, but that sounds like a golden opportunity to me. Here's another thought: if you 'improve' the product, would the people that love it currently love it more, or would it reduce the intensity of their feelings for it? If it does the latter, maybe you shouldn't improve it?

They like the idea of the brand/product, although I believe the functionality of the product itself could be improved a bit so maybe they would like it more, although it's troubling to me why other people are not responding in the same manner.
 

Jon L

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They like the idea of the brand/product, although I believe the functionality of the product itself could be improved a bit so maybe they would like it more, although it's troubling to me why other people are not responding in the same manner.
Does it matter if the other people don't care? What if you focused on what the people that are already in love with your product cared about? Make them so passionate about your product they can't help but buy it and tell all their friends about it.

I don't know if it was on this forum or somewhere else, but there's a company out there that makes THE BEST leather items for the survival / outdoors community. I think they make leather sheaths for knives and such. Clearly, very few people out there even care about something like that. But, for people that do, they are head over heals in love with this particular product.
 

Jon L

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Its kinda like dating, actually ... Women like a wide variety of things. Some love 6'4 265 lb walls of muscle. Others, are scared of guys like that and would prefer a normal guy with a great sense of humor, or a guy with a brain, or a guy that speaks softly to her, or ... you get the idea.
 
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