The Value of Research
Most of us have heard the phrase, selling ice to eskimos. But why would anyone sell ice to someone who lives in an environment where water turns to ice? Because the sales person has convinced you that your environment is not what you think it is. This is something that is happening in our industry, and happening in large amounts.
I realized recently that when I read an article about anything on Facebook or some other social media platform, that it is my responsibility to do my research on where the information is coming from. Just because you hear a group of people say one thing, doesn't mean it is the truth. I think a lot of the information today is much like this, we have social media which allows us to post anything. We can turn a fraction of something into what feels like a week long post. The issue is, the result we are looking for never happens. So we take this post, we fling it all around the internet, and we are left with a book that has a cool cover, but 500 pages of blank pages.
Product Research
My main point is products. Lets face it, every customer at some point is going to try and review your product. Let’s break down how the ratio of information presents itself on the internet.
First point is the question being asked. “What X product works best for X application?”. Now what you get in response is information provided by a group that you think might know the right answer. But let's break this down even more, because if we are listening to everyone on the internet, then we have a high ratio of one sided information. By this I mean that most people out there are building their first car. Maybe their second or maybe their fourth car. My point is, they do not have enough information to provide you the correct information you are looking for for the question you are asking. This comes from the fact that they have not had a chance to install or try each product in each area you are asking about. Yet, everyone has the right answer for you. Time to start asking where your information comes from.
My second point is, try it out for yourself. So far I have seen that if you inspire others to try out their own experience and data, you might be surprised by what you find. For me, I can't express how much my own industry has risen up to try their own findings, post their own results, and even go as far as making their own YouTube videos of what they have learned. I figured out long ago that if you post results only based upon your own data, it’s a tough sell. But, if you inspire others to test their own results, then the information becomes valid. It no longer becomes data based upon you selling a product. It becomes data to actually help those who need an honest source. And data from individuals is the most powerful info you can provide on the internet. If your data does not match what you sold, then all is lost in what you sold. You sold the Ice to the Eskimos.
Making a product is not that easy. I've actually made stuff where I've wasted tons of money and never talked about it again. Just because you have a CAD file, or a copy of someone else's product in front of you, doesn't mean you are going to accelerate in what you are trying to produce. You have to be willing to give up something, no matter the cost or time. And most of the time, you give up money and time and it hurts. LOL
PRODUCTS BUILt WITH SYNERGY R&D
Final Thoughts
My main advice to anyone, or any shop reading this, is that if you put out a product that at some point can be made better by another, then you lose in the long run. Meaning that, if you create a product so honest and real, then there is no reason for any competition. That is because no one has a reason to doubt what you have created. But the second you create that in your product, then you create a secondary market for what you are doing. You are giving others a reason to copy what you do, let that sink in.