There is a general misconception within the industry that all you need is a ‘great’ product or concept, and the rest will all fall into place. However, bringing a product from concept to market is a process which must be carefully considered and strategised. While your product may be great, you still need to market it in the right way and to the right audience, to get the results and ROI you are hoping for.
Another misconception in bringing your product to market is thinking a product has failed if it is not an immediate success. We live in a fast-paced world, with access to everything at the press of a button, so there is a general misconception that if a product doesn’t produce results right away, it’s a failure. However, marketing takes time. A data-driven strategy is essential to ensure the right platforms and approaches are being optimised.
With the industry facing a huge amount of change, companies must ensure they are paying particular attention to their own market, their site and how they are positioning themselves online as a brand, and of course, their products and the reviews of their customers.
This guide from our specialists at ABL Circuits covers three key areas on how to bring your electronic products to market, solely from a manufacturing standpoint.
Step 1 – Verify the concept
Before moving any further, it’s important you have given the necessary thought and strategy to your product before creating a prototype and bringing it to market.
There are a few steps to ensure you have all basis cover before investing any more time or resources.
- What else is out there in the market?
Ensure you have taken a look at your competitors, the wider market and industry to analyse what products are out there currently so you are aware of your competition.
- Identify your USP
How does your product stand out against those already in the market? Are you bringing anything new? Or is there simply enough demand to justify bringing a similar product to market? These are important questions to consider so you can identify your place in the industry and how best to market your product moving forward.
- Have you done this before?
Taking learnings from previous experiences to your new concept and process to ensure you are as streamlined as possible. If this is your first time creating this kind of product, it would be worth assessing whether you need expert help from a consultancy or manufacturing team, to advise you along the way. For example, at ABL Circuits we can help you every step of the way if this is your first time bringing a product to market. We can help advise on timelines, manage expectations with budgets and costs, and help manage every part of the process from design, to prototype creation and manufacturing.
- What are the key elements you are not willing to compromise on?
Be clear from the outset exactly what it is you want to create, and what components you are not willing to compromise on, or are essential to you. This will help you to brief any consultancy or manufacturing company you are working with so you are aligned on expectations. At ABL Circuits, we often ask these questions early on in the relationship with a client to ensure we are streamlined, and clear on the brief and what matters most to the client. We will of course advise where we think changes may need to be made for quality or control purposes, but we work closely to ensure we can turn your product idea into reality.
- What is your maximum budget?
Ensuring all parties involved are clear on your budget at the beginning of any concept means no nasty surprises at the end, this includes any consultancy or manufacturing companies you may be working with. Ensuring there is a consistent management of budget and transparency, like we do at ABL Circuits with our clients, is important to ensure everything is on track.
- Being clear on your vision and end strategy
It’s important from the start of your concept that you are clear on what you plan to do from a marketing point of view, once the product is ready. Having a clear marketing, social or communications strategy in place so you are ready to shout about your product, and make the most of the time and resource that’s gone into creating it.
Step 2 – Create and trial a prototype
The next step is to create and trial a prototype for further proof of concept. A prototype is a preliminary version of your design, created to test the product and make sure everything is working as it should. The prototype is all about proving that the product works. For example, certain electronic products may be used to withstand very harsh environments so it’s important to test the prototype to check if it gets too cold, or too hot. Can it withstand the conditions and environment it is being built for? This is a very important step in bringing your electronic product to market – ensuring it works for the purpose in which it is being built.
While a prototype may be more expensive to create initially than manufacturing at scale, it is an essential part of the process and will save you time and costs in the long run. If you were to skip the step of creating a prototype, and instead go straight into mass production for your electronic product, you could end up with a large amount of devices which are not fit for purpose – and time and expense wasted.
ABL Circuits can use the prototype and do the testing for you to ensure it’s up to standard, and ready to be brought to market. This is where our expertise and consultancy comes into play. Having tested the prototype we can advise if any elements or components need to change before your electronic product is brought to market. For example, after testing the prototype we may suggest an alternative connector which is cheaper and more readily available to create at scale. We are always forthcoming and transparent with our consultancy to guarantee we bring the highest quality product to market for you.
When the concept has been tested by a prototype, this is a great time to take a step back and review the design before manufacturing. Taking another look at the design to ensure, components aren’t too close together or connectors are all correct. From here you can make any necessary tweaks to the design needed. This is important to ensure your final product is of the highest quality, and with a long shelf life to bring to market. This is particularly important if you are in a competitive market and your products need to stand the test of time and build a reliable, returning customer base.
Step 3 – Continually optimise
The last step in taking your electronic product from concept to market is to ensure you are continually optimising and developing your product. The same concept and design you created five years ago may not perform as well in the current market. With technology, the economy, and the industry continually changing and fluctuating, so will the demands and needs of consumers.
It’s important to ensure that you are being versatile with the electronic products you bring to market, regularly assessing your designs, concepts and products, having a critical eye, and questioning how you can improve to ensure you stay one step ahead of competitors. This is where we can helpWith over 40 years of experience in the industry, we’ve seen it all. We can advise where changes need to be made, update on changes in the market, new services, products and what competitors are doing to help you stay at the forefront of consumers’ minds.
Looking for a bespoke manufacturing service to get your product off the ground? ABL Circuits has you covered.
There is a lot to consider when bringing an electronic product to market, from concept to design, all the way through to manufacturing and marketing. However, ABL Circuits is a full service PCB provider who can take the design, prototype, manufacturing, assembly, and testing stages all off your hands, so you can focus on the things that are important to you and your business, and leave the finer details to us.
If you are time-poor, or lack the resources you need to meet demand within a particular time frame, ABL Circuits can step in to help. One of the biggest benefits when looking to outsource PCB assembly is the time this will save you, without compromising on quality. With the latest innovative technology, including a new pick and place machine and brand new selective soldering machine, ABL Circuits can bring your reality to life at the highest standard. The process begins with a customer consultation, so we know exactly what your needs are and ensure our expectations are aligned from the start.
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