Surveys Give Partial Solutions

“We listened to consumers who said they wanted to eat fresh fruit,” said a spokesman for Wendy’s. “But apparently they lied.”

Surveys help but your gut helps more This quote, featured in the September 8th edition of The Week, is a problem that many businesses face when trying to determine new products and services to launch.

Survey results that seemed so positive can suddenly become invalid. Inventory or service options languish because clients don’t want what they once craved, so they said.

This is why companies, including small and solo business owners, use methodical strategies before introducing something new. We can move on a trend much faster than the big boys, but we must still focus on the big picture before investing our cash, asking ourselves questions such as:

Think before making a final decision 1. Did I obtain feedback from loyal customers who consider what I sell to be an important part of their business or personal lives?

2. Does what I want to offer satisfy a need that, in this fast-paced society, lasts more than a minute?

3. Will technology change faster than I can sell the product, rendering it useless before I reach my breakeven point?

Surveys provide a great deal of valid information, but your gut instinct will help you decide whether or not a new product or service will truly be a winner.

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