With new startups emerging every year, making your business stand out can be a daunting task. The difference between failing early on and thriving in an increasingly competitive business arena is the knowledge of your product-market fit (PMF).
A good PMF is when your product is in a good market and satisfies the needs of that market. You have a good PMF if your sales go up and you need to hire more people into your company to support the demand.
Sometimes, your customers will also sell your product for you. Yes, you’ll usually know that your Product-Market Fit is good if your own customers send referrals your way. For smaller startups, word of mouth is beneficial to the positive change in sales and attraction of new customers. In fact, that’s ideal for any company, and it’s all thanks to a good PMF.
This article will feature points on how Product-Market Fit exactly leads to rising sales and an increased number of brand advocates in the long run.
1. Gives You An Understanding Of Your Market Demand
Every product has its niche market. And an understanding of the market for your services early on saves you time, energy, and money. Finding PMF helps you focus on the customers who will appreciate what you’re offering. In turn, you can adjust to the needs of that specific market while also considering what you can do to tap other markets.
Professional innovation consulting services can assist you in finding your target market. Doing this before you even begin to build your product keeps you from copying what’s already out there. You can also execute needed changes during development based on your PMF’s findings.
With a Product-Market Fit, you can perfect your service before it goes live. Finding the holes and tweaking them before anyone else does is always a good thing. You can be sure to release a viable product out to the market. Then when the profits come, you can start planning on expanding your business or reaching out to more customers.
2. Helps You Create Carefully Planned Investments
When you’ve understood your product’s market demand, you’ll now be thinking of going all out about growing your business. However, if you’re running a startup, you likely have a limited budget. That being the case, you have to plan your investments carefully. The good news is that knowledge of your PMF will help you avoid investing in unnecessary things and losing money in the process.
A PMF will serve as a guide for your planned investments. Finding and understanding your business’ Product-Market Fit allows you to pay attention to areas that matter most. It’s especially true when you start receiving customer feedback for your product after it goes live.
Without understanding PMF, you’ll be making fast decisions that may hurt the growth of your business. Of course, prematurely making significant investments will only set you up for an early failure. That’s why you have to establish PMF first. It means only investing in personnel and supplies when you know your product is viable and start getting more inquiries or demand.
3. Keeps You Flexible In Ever-changing Markets
Technology is evolving fast nowadays, so businesses have to keep up the pace. Take note of what’s trendy and what can get your product to reach a wider audience. Those that cater to niche markets must find ways to follow specific trends or else lose their customers.
When you have a Product-Market Fit, you’ll have the information to let your business adapt and thrive. Remember that a wise, situational leader who’s flexible leads their team to success. By considering the changing needs of your target market, there’ll be lesser odds of your existing customers losing interest. They may even become advocates and refer new customers to purchase your product. And, you’ll be keeping your business afloat for a long time.
4. The First Step To Any Startup
Taking the time and effort to find your PMF is akin to knowing what will work for you and your product/service. Understanding your target audience and market brings your attention to things that matter. Having a PMF refrains you from making any rash choices just to keep your business alive. It also gives you an added edge to stay above the surface of the market’s ebb and flow.
The PMF serves as the backbone for startups and existing businesses alike. It’s the guide that keeps your focus on what’s best for your service and your customers. Like any new venture, one must take the first step. Finding that PMF holy grail is part of that. For owners of new and innovative products, simply taking that first step lets you continue walking on that path to success.
