Sunday, February 14, 2016

"Customer Interviews No. 3"


On this round of interviews I decided to mix up my polling audience. Even though this is a service for surfers I think if it is a good idea then it should pass the litmus test with the general population.

Below you will find what I put on my index card for people to review and comment on.

 

Problem: Energy wasted by paddling out into the lineup

               Breakers too big to paddle through

               Fighting against drift and rip currents

               Paddling out is harder as I get older

Solution: Pay a daily fee or purchase a season pass to ride a zip line from the beach out to the lineup

               This would possibly be attached to the pier or connected to a standalone buoy

Benefits: Surf more and paddle less

               No wasted energy on paddling

               Longer surf sessions during Hurricane Swells

               Extend your surfing career for many more years 

 Reflect on what you learned. 

 I learned that most people were receptive to the idea, and said they would utilize the service.

I guess the most surprising aspect of the interviews using this format was it really makes a difference on the reactions you receive from the people you are interviewing. This is probably the purest form of getting true reponses from the public that you are going to get. This is a great exercise to vet your product or idea, especially if you are going to risk a lot of your own capital. I have been in sales most of my life and I know how to drive a conversation, but that doesn’t mean they will buy my product if I’m not a part of the buying process and making a direct sell. You will never reach scalability until your product or service will sell itself with enough education and exposure. For instance, I would never need to see another commercial for me to buy a mountain dew. I like the way they taste, so I need no one to walk me through the buying process. So, we must be very clear in our description and marketing of our new product or services offered.

1 comment:

  1. James,
    I really think your idea is a good one. I see the real need for this product by a selected target market and your responses lead me to believe it would be successful. I, personally, think your idea would not only be practical but also more fun for younger surfers to use and maybe even help them learn to surf faster due to saving them energy in the paddle out. Good work and if you would like to read my blog go to: http://mitchallenent3003.blogspot.com/2016/02/customer-interviews-no-3.html
    Thanks,
    Mitch

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