Secret Tips on How To Market a Product!

by T. Woodson

You might say I learned how to market a product by the process of trial and error – mostly error. I don't feel like I'm bragging too much when I say I have been called a person of vision more than once in my life. A lot of people see me as an innovative designer because I can take a product to market rather quickly. No one sees me as particularly sensible, however, and sensibility and being practical is a big part of what product marketing is all about. I never really bothered to think about product launches or publicity. I would send out a few press releases, market my product through word of mouth, and assume that it would sink or swim on its own merits.

Fortunately, small business owner was not my only title in the business world. I was marketing my own inventions as a comfortable little sideline buisness in the hopes that someday I would strike it rich. I took the occassional flop after another flop in stride, figuring that the time just wasn't right for that product. It probably could've gone on like this forever with none of my new and innovative designs making any money if I had not met a marketing expert....here the secret was revealed.

She actually took me on as sort of a trial or pity case. She was one of the premier regional experts in how to market a product, and didn't really need to work with me. Nonetheless, we bonded quickly. She saw something innovative and promising in some of my design work along with the other projects in marketing that I showed her.

She did something almost unheard of in the industry – she agreed to do all the marketing work on spec for a cut of the potential profits we could make on the product. I guess like me, she did not really need the money. She made me her pet project and the tips I learned were invaluable...or priceless as they say.

In the end, it turned out very well for both of us. She used her product positioning skills to make us both a lot of money, and she got a sizable cut of the money we made too. The tips and lessons I learned along the way about how to market a product could be applied to many other projects I was working on.

I didn't exactly get rich, but I certainly came out of it pretty well off, especially considering how I started. If she had never come along with her knowledge of how to market a product and her connections, I never would have gone anywhere. Best of all, I built a long term business relationship with someone I really trust and admire. She will remain nameless, but she knows who she is!

I still have a day job, but I'm getting close to the point where I can end that completely and just work on my own. In my opinion, there is nothing more rewarding than that. And to think, if I had not learned how to market a product effectively, I would still be on trial and mostly errors. On the day I can finally quit my day job and become completely self-employed, I'll know I've made it. Sometimes its WHO ya know, not WHAT ya know!

Anyone who works in marketing or advertising has seen the industry grow much more complicated in the last for years. Branding, product design, logos, and even spin doctoring used to be much more simple. New ideas such as viral marketing, word of mouth, guerrilla marketing, and many others have given all of us in the industry quite a mental workout to keep up. It is refreshing, then, that some things stay the same. Ultimately, everything still comes down to product logos, and I think that is the way it will stay. Product logos are probably the most important ingredient in how to market a product in the first place.

I have seen many people question the importance of product logo design, but that questioning has never gone anywhere for them. Every stage of the product logos process is crucially important to the success how to market a product of any kind. Not only do you have to choose from what must be many perfect logos, but you have to get it out there once you pick the right one for your buisness. Although there are some new techniques for doing this, the old ones are also important. If you're printing logos on products, giving away promotional items, spreading the word through billboards, advertisements, discount coupons, and product placement, you can get people interested in your new design quickly and efficiently.

Many people used to think that the actual logos themselves were the most critical part of how to market a product. People would discuss in depth the core principles of design in hopes of coming up with the perfect product logos. These days, we know that it is not true. A product logo still exists in a context. People remember the commercials where the product logos were first seen and expanded on, and it makes as much or more of an effect as the design of the logo itself.

Nevertheless, having the perfect product logos is still very important...probably THE most important thing about marketing a product, but only in the sense of brand recognition. There are many different ways to come up with logos, and all have their own pros and cons. One of the most popular ways, of course, is to design logos in-house. It has always been a popular option for medium and large sized companies, but now, it is becoming more popular for smaller businesses. Everyone, after all, wants to see their logo designs come from their own company internally. There's something nice about knowing that you have the talent internally to create the perfect product logos design. It is also just fine to get outside help in designing product logos. There are companies that do nothing but design logos for other companies. They are extremely good at it and advertise their services. 

So, no matter which direction you take about how to market a product or which product logos you choose, it is important to seek professional advice. Seek help from both within and outside the company to determine the best strategy for your business.