| I've never been much of a fisherman. Sitting | | | | were in the lake. And that's where he |
| in a small boat for hours watching a red and | | | | anchored his boat; smack dab in the middle of |
| white bobber float atop the water holds about | | | | his own starving niche market.Having found |
| as much interest for me as watching paint | | | | his hungry market he tested products to sell |
| dry. My old man, on the other hand, would | | | | into it. He tried crickets, dough balls, |
| have rather fished than breathe. In fact, | | | | lures, worms, and who knows what else, to |
| his favorite Bible quote was: "Give a man a | | | | determine the kind of bait the fish liked |
| fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man | | | | best. In the internet marketing business we |
| to fish and he'll sit in the boat and drink | | | | call it split testing: offering customers |
| beer with you for life." Needless to say, my | | | | variations of a theme to see which one brings |
| old man wasn't much of a Bible scholar, but | | | | the greatest response. In his case worms |
| he was one heck of a fisherman.The few times | | | | were the product that his market liked |
| that I went fishing with him as a young boy | | | | best.He also knew his customers well. He |
| (before I was old enough to know better) he'd | | | | knew that if they liked the product they'd be |
| bait my hook with a worm he'd dug up from our | | | | quick to bite. He knew without flinching |
| garden and drop it in the water and tell me | | | | exactly how to react when they nibbled the |
| to watch the bobber until a fish pulled it | | | | bait. He didn't jerk the line because he |
| under the surface. The moment I saw the | | | | knew that might let his customer get away. |
| bobber go under I was to jerk the line and | | | | He tugged it gently until he had his fish |
| reel the fish in. I can remember staring at | | | | hooked, then he'd reel them in and close the |
| that bobber until my eyes crossed and never, | | | | deal.And being the consummate fisherman cum |
| not once, did it ever go under the surface. | | | | entrepreneur he always took his best |
| I am probably the only male child ever born | | | | customers to dinner, literally. What the old |
| in the great state of Alabama who never | | | | man knew was that in fishing, as in business, |
| caught a single fish. It is but one of the | | | | you succeed by giving customers (be they |
| disappointments my ancestors have endured on | | | | human or be they fish) what THEY are hungry |
| my account, I assure you.My old man's bobber, | | | | for, what THEY want or need; not by trying to |
| on the other hand, would be jerked under the | | | | catch them with the bait or sell them |
| water within minutes of being tossed in. | | | | products YOU think they should have.Sometimes |
| He'd be catching fish left and right and I'd | | | | we entrepreneurs think we're smarter than our |
| be sitting there like some angler savant just | | | | customers (OK, sometimes we are). We think |
| staring at my bobber and wishing I was old | | | | that they will buy whatever we put in front |
| enough to cuss out loud.I discovered a few | | | | of them if we just do a really good job of |
| years later that the reason he caught all the | | | | selling it. I've actually heard some |
| fish was that he baited his hook with live | | | | arrogant entrepreneurs say just that, |
| worms while hanging the dead ones on mine. | | | | "They'll buy what I have to sell or they can |
| His worm would wiggle seductively to attract | | | | take their business elsewhere." That line of |
| every fish within a two mile radius while | | | | thinking guarantees that you will spend most |
| mine couldn't even get the attention of a | | | | of your time watching bobbers that never get |
| starving turtle if it had swam directly into | | | | pulled under.It's when we take our customer's |
| my hook.I'm sure I suffered some permanent | | | | wants and needs for granted that we fail as |
| psychological damage as a result of his | | | | entrepreneurs and our lines sit in the water |
| actions, but we all have our scars to bear. | | | | undisturbed. The problem often comes when |
| Mine just happens to be in the shape of a | | | | entrepreneurs put the cart before the horse. |
| hook with a dead worm hanging from it. The | | | | They will create a product or service for |
| memory has been filed away deep in my psyche | | | | which there is no market. They fail to |
| in a drawer labeled, "Gee, thanks dad." It's | | | | survey the pond for hungry fish. Instead |
| a drawer I'm sure we all have, mine is | | | | they grab the bait they think will work and |
| probably just a little fuller than most.While | | | | off they go. Usually they come back empty |
| he could have used a few lessons on child | | | | handed. It happens to entrepreneurs and |
| rearing, the old man was an expert in one | | | | fishermen all the time.What can you do to |
| thing that we entrepreneurs often botch or | | | | help ensure that the pond you're considering |
| ignore and that is market research. He | | | | is full of hungry fish? That's a topic we'll |
| didn't call it that, of course. He said, | | | | discuss next time. Keep watching that bobber |
| "Son, never fish in a dry hole." Let me | | | | now, you hear.Here's to your success!Tim |
| translate that tidbit of Forrest Gump advice: | | | | KnoxTim Knox |
| don't try to sell a product in a market where | | | | |
| there are no buyers. If there are no buyers, | | | | Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker |
| there is no market. You can have the | | | | |
| greatest product in the world, but if there | | | | Tim Knox is a nationally-known small |
| is no market for your product you might as | | | | business expert who writes and speaks |
| well pack it up and go dig worms.Over the | | | | frequently on the topic. |
| years he had surveyed every inch of that lake | | | | |
| and as a result knew his market well. | | | | For more information or to contact Tim |
| Through much research he knew exactly where | | | | please visit one of his sites below. |
| the best customers, i.e. the hungry fish, | | | | |