You Can’t Create in Isolation
I often have tons of great ideas of what to do next in my business and have spent a lot of time thinking strategically about what direction I want to take. But I know one thing to be true in business; you simply cannot create in isolation. While having the space and time available to focus on your business can help you to be creative and productive, you’ll be wasting your time if no one wants to buy your completed masterpiece.
Build and they will come
So often I hear entrepreneurs express a variation on this theme: “I have this great idea that people are going to LOVE.” But our passion for our ideas also causes us to fall into the trap of believing if we build it, customers will come. Ask yourself if people really want your product or service. Don’t be afraid to learn the true answer to that question. A lot of startups miss the mark with their products or services because they create in isolation. Have conversations with your potential customers to understand the challenges they face. Many entrepreneurs skip this important step because they are too excited about the idea of creating the finished product.
The only way to find out if people truly want and need the solution that you’re offering is to ask the question of your target customer. Not your mother. Not your best friend. Not your partner.
Once you start to hear responses that let you know you’re on the right track, put together a skeleton of your idea and test it out. Gather feedback from early adopters, make changes where necessary, and then test out the next iteration. This method will allow you to slowly attract more of the right customers.
Acknowledge the Fear
It can be scary to put yourself out there. You don’t want to hear people tell you that your idea isn’t good. Everyone experiences these fears in business and worries at times that it’s not going to work. Everyone has products or services that aren’t quite right and need to be tweaked. Everyone hears news that they don’t really want to hear.
Even when business is on the up and things are going great, occasionally you’ll hit a bump that knocks you off course. You’ll forget about all those great things and just focus on the one thing that is bad. But don’t let it stop you! Continue to work hard, have conversations with your customers, come up with new ideas and test them out.
Download a free copy of Venture Vitals: The Complete Startup Checklist to learn more about how to have conversations with your potential customers and how to create something they cannot resist!
This article first appeared on the Step & Stone blog. Read the full version here. Step & Stone provides strategy and business development services to early stage entrepreneurs and small businesses. Now based in Nairobi but with experience in Europe and the Caribbean, Danielle provides resources to entrepreneurs to help them do the RIGHT things for them and their business.
Asante Sana to Danielle for sharing this article with us!
