With the rise of the number of homogenous brands and products in today’s business market, coming up with newfangled ideas for your next product or service may be downright baffling, Predicting the needs and expectations of consumers is flirting with danger. After all, predictions don’t always turn out to be accurate. So what’s the solution to this predicament? The answer is quite simple: social media.
Social media is the biggest thing in today’s innovative world. It not only serves as a platform of social interaction, but it also provides a tremendous source of exposure for the cooperate world. Numerous companies have successfully promoted their brands and expanded their client-base just by using social media.
Now the success of every of new product depends on how well it meets clients’ requirements; and there’s no better way of determining your consumers’ needs and the type of product they would expect from you than asking them outright. That is why marketers turn to social media for new product development ideas.
If this entices you, here’s what you need to do.
Get Your Objectives Straight
First off, you need to know exactly what you’re looking for. Knowing your objectives is of paramount importance, regardless of whether you’re seeking feedback on a specific improvement or a completely different product. Identifying your goals before you start off won’t only ensure accurate feedback, but will also the pave the way of a successful product development strategy.
Moreover, if you actually know what you’re hoping to achieve before beginning the process, you’ll be able to track your progress, redirect yourself if you go off-course, and even end the process if nothing seems to be coming out. You also need to determine the social media where you’ll be conducting most of your research. However, keep in mind that your selection will depend on the on the type of audience you’re looking to attract.
Ask the Right Questions
Once you have set your objectives right, you need to ask questions relevant to the matter at hand. Keep in mind that your selected questions have to support your objectives. That way, they’ll be able to draw a positive response from your target audience.
Another important factor to remember is the social network you’re working on. For instance, if you ask formal questions on relatively more casual networks like Twitter and Facebook, you’re unlikely to receive adequate answers. So a question that will yield loads of answers on your blog may not elicit the same response rate on Facebook. This is why it’s important to choose the style of questions wisely.
Organize and Plan Ahead Using the Gathered Information
Lastly, you have to work on the data acquired in the form of feedback. For instance, if you have shown your intentions to develop a specific product to the public for instance, you need to fulfill it, and that too in the given time frame. Failure to do so will only result in loss of trust or even worse, your customers.
As you can see, the process isn’t overly difficult; all that it requires is time, effort and persistence. If you’re willing to stay committed to it, positive results will follow automatically.
PolyMth - Product Leadership 