Do I have the wrong market for my product?

Discussions
#21

There you go. You answered your own question. The app doesn’t provide enough value, or solve a big pain.

You could try adding more value, but if you aren’t solving any major pain, you won’t get anywhere.

#22

Yup, agreed. Appreciate all the feedback and suggestions here! Really digging this forum.

#23

Don’t fully understand it.

But, from what I read, It sounds like I need to plug my gmail in and all my co-workers get to see my private emails…

#24

Tim,

FYI, so far everyone who gave feedback is not in your target market so you may be asking the “do you need this” question in the wrong place. You’ll know you’re in the RIGHT place because when you ask “How do you deal with XYZ problem, you’ll get a lot of engagement”.

Have you approached this like debugging code like I’m showing below?
Confirm that:

  1. They understand HOW to use the product and WHAT it can do.
  2. They are ABLE to USE it. (B/c they might THINK they know how and what it is, but may not truly understand how to use it. E.g., they might know “I can search all the emails” but in practical daily activity, they can never remember how to find the search. Or they are horrible at knowing HOW to search. (It takes some skill do to well)
  3. Do they realize they have the problem that you are solving?
  4. Do they recognize they have a PAIN from the problem and know it comes from the Problem?
  5. They then don’t use the features again?

Have you ever tried observing them using it?
Have you ever tried doing an UX test where you give them some tasks to do (to “exercise” all the functions you think they can use)?
You could call this a free training session. And then, at the start say “OK, I want to see where you’re at. Here are some scenarios, let’s try to do A, B and C.”. I do this all the time. Its always frighteningly illuminating.

Example:

I was considering making a spam filter 10 years ago. But I talked to people and they didn’t even think spam was a problem. (Now, I suspect that if the spam went away they’d realize “OMG, this is so nice”. But it would be really hard to get someone to try a solution to a problem they don’t REALIZE is causing them pain.

If that is the case, then yeah, it sounds like you don’t have the right customers.