Great product, expert team, market exists but customers are not enthusiastic. Why? Because commercialisation is not just about getting sales started, it’s at the heart of understanding the customer. Without a deep understanding of customers’ needs, wants and challenges, even the best product or service will sit on the shelf gathering dust.
Why is customer understanding the basis of commercialisation?
Commercialisation is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, a product or service is just one piece. Customer insight is the picture on the lid of the box that tells you how to put the pieces in place. How should the puzzle be built?
- Tailor your value proposition to resonate with your customers.
- Avoid assumptions that can mislead commercialisation.
- Identify the right marketing channel(s) where your customers are really moving.
Commercialisation starts even before the product is launched
Many people make the mistake of thinking that commercialisation starts on launch day. In reality, successful commercialisation is a process that starts much earlier. What should you know when building a puzzle?
- Market research and customer insight: who are your customers? What are their pain points?
- Prioritising your target audience: not everyone is your customer, but the right customers can be your best marketing channel.
- Testing and piloting: is the product or service adapted to market needs?
The steps to successful commercialisation.
Commercialisation is not just a single measure. Build the puzzle in steps and succeed.
- Know your customer: create a concrete understanding of your target audience through interviews, surveys or data.
- Define the value proposition: how does the product or service solve the customer’s problem?
- Build your strategy: which channels, messages and partnerships will have the greatest impact?
- Use customer insight to communicate: communicate to customers in their language. Technical jargon doesn’t sell, solutions do.
- Test and improve constantly: the world changes and so do your customers’ needs. Constant learning and taking advantage of customer feedback will keep your product competitive.
Commercialisation without customer understanding, a recipe for disaster
Have you ever seen a product that looks good but remains on the shelf? The reason may be that the product was designed with engineers in mind, not customers. Even the best product won’t sell if its value is not communicated or if it doesn’t meet a genuine customer need.
Commercialisation is more than sales and understanding your customers is the secret recipe for success. It’s what separates great products or services from those that are forgotten.
Are you stuck in commercialising your business, want to take your product or service to international markets or need sparring on how to tap into customer insight? Book an appointment for a chat, we will help you on the path to successful commercialisation.
Why customer insight is the winning strategy for the future?
Customer insight allows you to exceed expectations and create lasting customer relationships based on trust and mutual respect. It’s never just about business, it’s about people working together, where the role of the salesperson is to help the customer succeed.
Are you ready to grow your sales through genuine customer insight? Now is the time to take sales to a new level and build long-lasting relationships with your customers.
