Something People Want To Buy

I was chatting with another student in this course that I’m taking and she’d asked for some feedback on her website. At first glance, the site seemed purpose-built to attract a very specific demographic. The font, the color scheme, and the images all told me that her clients are middle-aged women.

But then, she said her customer base is 85% male… She followed that up with the frustration that she isn’t serving the people she wants to be serving.

I asked if she’d ever validated her products or services with the people she was hoping to serve.

Her answer was a simple “no”.

You have to start with something people want to buy.

There’s a lot in that sentence.

You. It has to start with you. The market isn’t going to create itself around your product.

Start. Meaning at the beginning. Before you pour money and time into an unvalidated piece of work, unless you’re creating it strictly for yourself.

People. There has to be enough people in that potential market to support your work. If there are only two people in the world that care enough about the thing you’re making, you’re going to struggle making a full-time living.

Want. Have you spent time discovering what the people you seek to serve actually want and need? What are their problems? What are they after? How does what you’re creating help them achieve it?

Buy. They have to be both willing and able to buy or pay for your product or service. If they can’t – think about serving pre-teens or another group that has no income – then you need to rethink how you can find a different group that can pay.