Hey everyone, 

Welcome to this week’s edition of INFUZED on product. The goal of any company is a successful product, the difference is just the way each measures „successful“. Let’s define „successful product“ as getting the product in everyone’s hand who might benefit from it. This requires two things: one, a product that benefits someone, and two, a way to get it to the one benefiting. 

Put simply, there is nothing to distribute without a product, but there is also no product without distribution. This one is so obvious for many that they don’t give it deliberate thought. But it is as fundamental to a business as Revenue = Price x Quantity. And one should think about both.

PRODUCT x DISTRIBUTION = 🚀

Usually we only diagnose „our product is not going through the roof as we expected it to go“. Then we go into all kinds of narratives why this might be the case, start to blame the market that „they“ don’t get it and end - worst case - blaming ourselves that we just aren’t capable. While this could be true and sometimes it is, most likely it isn’t. 

When we analyse our performance and separate product from distribution deliberately, we increase our chances manyfold of finding the real reason it’s not taking off. 

I’d argue that it’s rather simple to determine the current strength of each side. 

If you have customers that buy or use your product and love it, your product is good enough to potentially go through the roof. You need to figure out your distribution.

If you are drowning in support messages from existing customers, needing help or want to return the product, your distribution is good enough to help a good enough product go through the roof. You need to figure out how to make your product better.

If both are somewhat similar, I’d argue that it’s more likely that your distribution is lacking when the product is just not going through the roof. Because an „O.K. Product“ that 10.000 people are willing to pay 10€ for is far more 🚀 than an „Awesome 15€ Product“ for which you have a hard time getting it into the hands of 1.000 people. 

CHALLENGE

Which side of the equation would increase your likelihood of 🚀? 

Can you focus on that for the next iteration cycle? 

Go find the people that want your product, they are waiting for it, they just don't know about it yet.

Best, 

David