Whether you’re already operating a successful business or are an aspiring entrepreneur, knowing how to create a product that customers love is essential. There’s a lot that goes into building a product, such as thinking of an idea, developing a prototype, and creating the final version for customers to purchase.
If you’re ready to start creating a product to sell, you’re in the right place. In our guide, we’ll cover the seven steps on how to create a product from scratch. Keep reading below to learn how to get started and ways that Pietra can help.
1. Think of a Product Idea
The first, and sometimes the hardest, part of creating and selling a product is thinking of an idea. However, there are ways you can bring your thoughts to life that stand out from your competitors and set you up as a leader in your industry.
To get started, think about the industry and market you’re in. Examples might include the candle-making industry, skincare, apparel, or home decor. From there, do market research. Market research is the process of collecting information on your consumers and their needs. Are there gaps in the market? Do certain products have inefficiencies that can be improved? These are some of the questions to ask yourself to start thinking of a unique and successful product idea.
Once you’ve determined a product idea, it’s also important to think about the logistics of creating that product and whether it’s feasible and profitable. This means considering the product’s shape and specs, the complexity of the product, and the materials needed. At Pietra, you can work directly with freelance designers who can help you create and design your product, as well as manufacturers on the platform who can create them from start to finish.
2. Determine Product Value
The second step in creating a product is determining its value. As a business owner, one of your top goals is making a profit and growing your business. To create a product that’s successful, think about the value your product will add to your customers’ lives. While an idea might seem great in theory, it might not resonate with customers.
Through market research and drafting a strong business plan, you’ll be able to analyze the worth of your product and its potential success. At Pietra, Creators get access to our library of resources that help business owners throughout every step of their business. From our business plan blueprint to webinars and educational materials, you’ll have access to resources that can help you with everything from marketing to scaling your business.
3. Prepare Your Product Requirements and Designs
An essential step when you create a product design is getting your product requirements and designs ready. During this step, you’ll work closely with your manufacturer and designers, and Pietra makes it easy to communicate right through our platform.
During the design process, work with your freelancer to ensure everything looks and works properly. For example, if you’re creating candles, do your colors match the scent? Or if you’re building a skincare brand, do the formulas and ingredients create a cream or moisturizer that nourishes the skin? After your design is finalized, you can then send it to your manufacturer to ensure they can produce it at an affordable cost.
4. Develop a Prototype
Before ordering your products in bulk, it’s important to first develop a prototype. A prototype is a preliminary model or sample of a product to test its design and features. By creating a prototype, you’ll be able to determine any flaws or areas of improvement that can be corrected before the final design goes into production.
5. Receive Customer Feedback
If you want to know how to create a product that succeeds, it’s crucial to gather customer feedback. During the prototype stage, gather an unbiased sample of customers to test your product and deliver feedback.
During the trial period, you can ask important questions that can guide your creation process, such as what customers like and don’t like about your product, and any ideas they may have to improve your product that you haven’t thought of. Once you’ve gathered and analyzed this data, you can then add and remove any features, ingredients, or materials to your final design.
6. Start Manufacturing
Now that you’ve finalized your product design, it’s time to get to the fun part—building your product. As one of the final steps, you’ll work closely with your manufacturer to create your product and get it ready for your customers. At Pietra, you can find thousands of suppliers through our platform to create one-of-a-kind custom products.
Once your products are created, you can then have them stored in one of our low-cost warehouses. With Pietra’s Fulfillment Services, you’ll be able to have your inventory managed and shipped to your customers for you, so you can spend more time and resources in other areas to grow your business.
7. Enter Your Product Into the Market
Now that you’re done building a product for your business, it’s time to make them accessible to your customers. On your e-commerce platform, whether it’s Pietra’s Creator Marketplace or Shopify, you want to optimize your product pages to make them discoverable by your audience.
With Pietra, you can easily integrate your shop with your social channels, so you can make it easy for your followers on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or other platforms to access your store and shop your products. Pietra can also help you find professional freelance designers who can create your logo, design your website, and create your packaging designs to further grow your brand.
Build Unique Products with Pietra
Learning how to create a product is easy when working with Pietra and our team. Through our Supplier and Fulfillment Services, you can find top-of-the-line manufacturers who can create a product that stands out. To get started, learn more about how Pietra works and review Pietra’s pricing to find a plan that works for you.
Copyright 2024. Pietra, Inc.