What's Next?

Existing Market

What's next in terms of products and services for your venture?

My current product is based on enhancing a preexisting product, the Eno straps. If I were to continue this venture down the road, I believe I could come up with more products that embellish already existing outdoor activities such as tent camping, fishing, rock climbing, kayaking, etc.

What customers think I should do next:

Obviously during this time, we weren't required to conduct interviews, so I just ask my family members about my endeavors. They suggested that rather than brainstorming up new products for other outdoor activities, I should think about further refining Retractable Eno Straps. They suggested finding ways to sell the casing without the straps already in them for people who already own a set of Eno straps. This is a great idea because it would cut down on costs and even increase the amount of people willing to buy it.

Path for the future:

I definitely want to heed the advice of others. It seems like I am on the right track with my idea. Many Eno owners agree they would love an easier way to store their Eno straps. I believe I would want to take the next steps in refining this product rather than jumping onto the next like I initially thought. 

This means potentially selling the casing without Eno straps already in them. Furthermore, I think it would be great to work on a casing that holds and retracts both Eno straps, rather than having two separate casings for two separate straps.

Finally, it is very important to move forward with these plans in an environmentally friendly way. This is a major appeal to the outdoor community and I cannot lose sight of that in favor of creating a cheap product!

New Market

Radically Different Market and the Value for them:

I am currently targeting middle aged middle class people in the north east, as well as college students. If I wanted to pick a radically different market, I could target an older crowd with the idea that Retractable Eno Straps make it easier to Eno, even for those past their prime time. Retractable Eno straps may make hammocking more enticing to them because folding the straps is one less thing to worry about.

Interviewing a potential new market:

Again, we cannot conduct real interviews at this time, but I did phone my grandmother who said there is no way in a hundred years she would be able to climb into an Eno. She did admit that the new straps would make it easier to set up though. I suppose if I ever wanted to pitch my product to an older age group, I would have to come up with an additional concept that makes hammocking an easy sport for them!

Conclusion:

I have decided that my fleeting thought to market to the elderly is a terrible idea. Most of them do not own Enos, nor do they want to. I thought perhaps RES would make Enoing easier for them, but most elderly people would not be able to get in and out of an Eno, let alone be comfortable laying in a hammock.This market is no where near as attractive as my current market of outdoor enthusiasts who already have a love for hammocking. 

I think if i ever wanted to extend my target market, I could focus on more geographic regions such as the west coast, or even internationally. I would still focus on the same consumer demographics and psycho graphics though!

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.