Why a Product that Could “Sell Itself” Almost Never Does

Like the elusive unicorn, some business owners are always looking for that special product that will “sell itself.” Or perhaps they believe they have already developed it. But is there really such a product?

While anything is possible, a product that sells itself is virtually unheard of. The reality is, no matter how great a product, customers need to find out about it.

Creators of great products – and the businesses that sell those products – have a long list of things they must do before they can get customers to buy a particular product.

For example, they must promote that product in the places where people who are likely want or need the product frequent. They also must convince this target audience that the product will make their lives easier or will solve a problem.

Understandably, many small businesses are overwhelmed at the thought of marketing their product. Especially if they have no experience. Thankfully, there has never been a better time to get a product noticed online. And it doesn’t involve breaking the bank, either.

While every situation is different, the first step in the process is to identify a product’s ideal customer. Knowing who would benefit the most from your product is the first step in making sure that product gets noticed. Further, knowing who your target audience is means that you can be very specific when deciding how to reach them. Are they likely to respond best to an email? Would social media work better? The options are almost endless – SEO, PPC ads, direct mail, email marketing, social media and more.

Next, you need to do your research. Who else sells this type of product – if anyone? If others are selling a similar product you need to be able to articulate ways in which yours is superior. Or, to put it another way, how can you differentiate your product in the marketplace. This involves crafting a particular narrative, or content, that resonates with your target audience. Such content allows your product to stand out from the competition. And since you have already determined who your target audience is, it will be easier to understand what type of message they would best respond to.

Of course, this isn’t a one-time process. No matter how well your product seems to be selling, there is always room for improvement. That’s why you need to use A/B testing to learn which tactics are working, which are not working and which ones need to be tweaked.

If you truly believe that you have a product that will “sell itself,” you owe it to yourself to make sure that it gets out in front of people who will feel the same way about it.