How to produce what your customers want

Every business depends on making their customers happy and manufacturing is no different. You must make it a top priority to meet your customer's demands or you will soon find yourself closing your doors. Part of the formula for meeting your customer's needs depends on having the right employees and the right equipment so that working together they can make the best product possible. However, it is imperative that for this to work that you know your target market well and understand what they are looking for. Here is what you need to know about how to produce what your customer's want-

- Start with market research-The first step in making a product that your customer wants begins with knowing what they are looking for. You will need to take the time and make the effort to do effective market research. Your marketing and advertising departments should be able to find the best methods of reaching out to your customers and determine what they want to buy. One of the most effective tools to use (and one of the easiest) is social media networking. Accessing these sites can give you an up close and personal look at your customers. Your marketing people will then use this knowledge to form a better relationship with your customers and improve the quality of the products that you are making. The bottom line is that your customers will expect that you meet their needs and demands because if you can't they will move onto another company that will.
- Start improving the products that you already make-Many times all it takes is a few minor improvement to an existing product to better satisfy your customers. You may need to rethink something that you are already making but if you can improve it and increase sales it is a far more cost effective option then beginning a new product line. If your existing product line cannot be modified to meet your customers demand then you will have to look at other options.
- Start the design process-If you do not have an existing product(s) that can be modified to better meet your customers needs then you will need to look at starting a new product line. This can be a big endeavor but if you have the information about what your customers are looking for you will have a direction in which to start. Once you have fully designed your new product you should take the appropriate measures to test it in order to insure that you are on the right track in terms of satisfying your customers. If you find that the product is not being received as well you would like then you will need to go back to the drawing board and work on it until you reach a product design your customers will want.
- Start with a marketing plan-Part of the problem with making a product your customers want is letting them know that they want it. If your customers don't know what you have to offer them they may just pass you by. No matter how good your product is you need to be able to convince your customers that your product is the thing for them. This is done by careful and effective marketing that reaches your target market where they are. If your target market are heavy internet users then you need to market there, if your target market are heavy TV watchers then you need to market there. Once you have a product that your customers will want you need to let them where and how they can find it.