You want to get your product listed and selling as fast as possible, so you can compete and make money. So, what should you do instead of wasting time trying to make your product perfect?
Use Product Iterations
Let me give you an example. Say you want to sell a pair of drumsticks. You know these drumsticks are better than what the competition is selling, because they’re made of a better wood, but getting them in the exact shape you want is too expensive. So, you settle for the shape the manufacturer already has. It’s not as differentiated as you’d like, but you know it’ll still out-sell the competition. You buy 500 and sell all of them.
Now, the next time you order, you have comments, reviews, and questions from the first iteration of the product that you can use to improve and differentiate. Maybe you’ll not only use a different shape, but also add accessories. Every time you order your product, you’ll make it better. This way, you know you’re building a product that customers want. If you try to get your product perfect on the first try, you might waste time and money perfecting something that won’t sell as well as you hoped.
Every time you improve your product, you’ve created a new iteration of that product. Your first iteration might be completely plain, and that’s fine. Don’t try to get it perfect right away. Instead, use the feedback you get from selling the first iteration of the product to improve and differentiate the second iteration.
Buyer Knows Best
Don’t assume you know what will make your product perfect, either. You can’t create a perfect product on the first try, because you don’t know what your customers want, yet. No matter how much research you do, after you launch you might realize customers want a different shape, or size, or color, or material.
The best feedback you can get for your product is from your customer. They know what they’re willing to spend their money on, and they’ll tell you with their comments and reviews.
That’s another rookie mistake: thinking like an Amazon seller instead of an Amazon buyer. Always think like a buyer. If you wanted to buy a pair of drumsticks, what would you search for? What would influence your buying decision? Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. The better you understand the mind of your buyer, the better you’ll be at selling to them.
So, don’t make the mistake of trying to get your product perfect on the first try. Get your product out there, get it selling, and start making money. Pay attention to customer reviews and feedback so you can improve and differentiate your product with every iteration. Just like your business, your product will always be growing and evolving.
