When you’re creating a new invention, your product design and development process should depend heavily on what the consumer actually needs. You aren’t going to be able to sell your product if it doesn’t appeal to consumers. There are plenty of steps involved in designing with the consumer in mind, from identifying wants and needs to effectively tailoring the design to those specifications. So let’s take a look at how to effectively develop your idea with the consumer in mind.

Your product simply isn’t going to appeal to everyone all of the time. The key is to define your target audience and hone in on them by developing your product with that audience in mind. Let’s say you’re developing a luxury car accessory. You wouldn’t market it to just anyone with a car, because it’s a luxury item. You’re better off targeting a smaller percentage of higher-income consumers than trying to broadly market it to anyone with four wheels. Here’s what to keep in mind when you’re defining your target consumer:

  1. Know your product. Understand what it does and who it appeals to.
  2. Consider the geographic reach. Will you be selling it nationally? Internationally?
  3. Use demographics. Segment the market by demographics like age, income, and gender to see who your product is most likely to resonate with.
  4. Use psychographics. You also want to break down the market using psychographics such as values, interests, and lifestyle.

So now you need to assess your target customer’s wants and needs. You can do this in a number of ways, but keyword research, looking at competitors’ forums and product forums, and using surveys and reviews are some of the most useful avenues. You should also remember to design and develop with industry standards and regulations in mind. Make sure there isn’t a good reason no one else has developed a product like yours yet.

Any product design must also include a marketing strategy. This isn’t just what you say about your product, but how and where you say it. You need to know where your target customers go to look for information, and what channels will be useless to market on.

  1. Figure out who your consumers trust. Do primary research, use surveys or interviews, and employ a social monitoring tool to determine where your brand is being mentioned online.
  2. Pay attention to social media demographics. Social media is undoubtedly an important tool for marketing, but not every demographic uses the same social media platforms. Find out what social media your target consumers use, and craft your campaign around those sites.
  3. Personalize, personalize, personalize. Consumers are more likely to trust and engage with personalized content. Again, it’s about targeting the consumers that will actually be interested in buying your product.

Do you have an idea, but need help turning it into a product that will appeal to a specific consumer segment? Pivot international can help turn any idea into a polished, finished product. We can lend a hand at any point in product development and design. We have extensive experience in turning ideas into reality, so call us today at 1-877-206-5001 or contact us online to request a free consultation.