You have a great idea. Congratulations!
Whether it’s a product, service, or business model, the idea phase is when creativity flows and the potential feels limitless. Ready for a quick reality check? The idea is just the beginning. The path from concept to successful, sustainable business takes a lot, but for the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on what we know best: brand and marketing. And in that arena, the path to success is paved with strategic planning, research, and most important, efficient execution. It’s not enough to just build it and hope they will come. You have to brand and market yourself property to give your idea the best possible chance at success.
Research and testing to get your groundwork right
So how do you give your idea the best shot? Start by doing your research. Before you even start thinking about branding and marketing, you need to do your groundwork. Here are some questions you need to be able to answer:
- Who are your target audience and what do they care about?
- What has the industry been doing? Are there any trends you could use to your advantage or that may give you a disadvantage?
- How much competition will you face and what will your point of difference be?
Remember, you might feel like you’ve identified a gap in the market, but there need to be enough people out there who feel the same to support a business. And you will need to find them, connect with them, and clearly communicate what you’re offering.
It might seem like a lot of work. And it is. But you don’t need to tackle everything at once—take it one bite-sized chunk at a time and take your time figuring out different ways to approach the challenge.
For instance, instead of a full-scale launch, why not test your idea in a small, local market first? This could be actual local markets if you have a physical product that makes sense for that environment. Or it could be small local social groups or communities on social media. This allows you to gain valuable feedback without overextending your resources. You might also consider putting your product up on Shopify or another simple e-commerce platform as a way to dip your toe into the market and refine as you go. The goal is to validate your idea early and often, so you can pivot and adjust without wasting time or money on full-scale production before you’re ready.
Remember: plenty of people are running side hustles, but not all of them are able to scale. Those who succeed in commercialising their ideas do so by being methodical, strategic, and efficient.
Don’t rush commercialising your idea
Once your research is in place, it’s time to start thinking about how to commercialise your idea.
Begin with a small-scale product or service offering and test it in a targeted market. What works? What doesn’t? Listen to feedback from early adopters and be prepared to tweak and improve as you go. Platforms like Shopify or Etsy can be useful at this stage, giving you an easy way to start generating revenue without the need for a massive upfront investment.
The key is to scale intelligently. When you get feedback, use it to inform your next steps. Whether it’s adjusting your price point, refining your messaging, or tweaking your product itself, these incremental changes will help set the foundation for long-term growth. Don’t try to tackle everything at once– that’s the quickest road to overwhelm and burnout. Focus on one area at a time and cycle through them until every aspect is in a good place. Get advice from people with specialised skills and more experience than you. Even billion dollar companies start somewhere.
The comforting myth of ‘build it and they will come’
You’ve heard the phrase “build it, and they will come,” before. And it’s a nice sentiment, but subscribing to that kind of thinking will kill your business before it has a real chance. No matter how brilliant your idea is, success doesn’t come from simply existing in the market.
Let’s say that again for emphasis.
No matter how brilliant your idea is, success doesn’t come from simply existing in the market.
Think about it: how many products or services have you seen launched only to fall completely flat? Or launched with a lot of hype, only to fail within months? The truth is, consumers won’t just find you by chance. You need a plan that will guide them to your door, bring them inside, and keep them there.
This is where many businesses go wrong. Even if they do their original market research and idea validation, they think that’s enough and they skip over the hard work of building a brand and marketing strategy, assuming that good ideas sell themselves. The reality? Strategic planning, clear research, and thoughtful testing are what turn a great idea into a profitable reality. Without these, your idea is more likely to remain just that—an idea.
Maximising your marketing efforts
When you’re in the early stages of building your business, your resources are often stretched thin. That’s why efficiency in your marketing efforts is critical. You want to make sure every dollar spent is working as hard as possible to deliver results.
First, focus on tactics that can give you the most bang for your buck. Social media, for instance, can be an extremely cost-effective way to reach your audience—especially if you’re using organic content and leveraging user-generated material. Don’t have time to post daily? Content pillars will make it easier to create content because you know what you should be talking about, and creating templates where you can will make your production quicker. Figure out a system to repurpose your content across all your channels for the largest impact. Focus on quality over quantity. A few well-crafted posts can go further than a constant stream of low-engagement content.
Another key area is targeted paid advertising. It’s tempting to go broad and try to reach as many people as possible, but a more effective (and resource-efficient) approach is to narrow your audience. Go back to all the groundwork research and testing you did before your launch and focus on targeting your ads at the people most likely to buy your product or service. This way, you’re not wasting budget on clicks or views from people who don’t align with your offering.
Email marketing is another area where efficiency shines. It’s a platform that has the highest ROI, and you’re not at the mercy of changing algorithms to get in front of your audience. Building a list of potential customers and nurturing them through regular, personalised communication can lead to high conversion rates at a relatively low cost.
Here at Make It Happen, we incorporate efficiency into our marketing projects from day one. Whether it’s through data-driven campaigns, precise targeting, or refining your messaging to speak directly to your audience, we make sure that every piece of collateral can be reused, and every marketing tactic is designed to maximise impact while minimising waste.
Your idea deserves to succeed
The road from idea to business is long, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By doing your research, taking things step by step, and focusing on efficiency in your marketing, you can give your idea the best possible chance to succeed. And remember, at every stage of the process, you don’t have to go it alone. Partnering with the right agency can make all the difference in turning your idea into a sustainable, thriving business.
Ready to take your idea to the next level? Book your free 30 minute consultation for some tailored advice. We’re here to help you get your idea off the ground—and make it a success.