You know the one, one of those street musicians who single-handedly plays all the musical instruments. Left hand the chords on a guitar, right leg a bass drum (right toe the hi-hat) and under the armpit a bellows for a trumpet. I always admire it, but of course it's actually quite pathetic. As he blows into the harmonica, he has to think of hopping with his left leg to stroke the snare. Perhaps he had no friends and this was his only option to play in a band?
Once upon a time, this musician probably started out very talented as a guitarist. And if he could have concentrated on his “core biz,” he might have become a top guitarist. Playing at Carnagy Hall. Jamming with the greats. Alas, he had to spread his attention to all his limbs, feet, hands, mouth and the rest of his body.
Some entrepreneurs are a bit like this busker. They have a great product and realize that is only the beginning of the entrepreneurial journey. Because it takes marketing. And sales. And market research (because maybe they're waiting for your product abroad, too). At the same time, you need to further develop your own product and possibly expand your offerings. An online environment is needed. And finally, someone has to write pieces for the website.
There is nothing wrong with that.
Could it be done differently? Could the “one-man-company” have an alternative? An alternative, allowing a company to conceive?An alternative, allowing a company to focus on what that company is best at - its own product? B2B marketplaces can be a solution. With a marketplace, a company has access to new markets, but it is also an immediate help with ... yes, with everything actually.
A marketplace gives direct access to your end customers. But selling is also easy, because the marketplace itself owns the technology and makes sure it's right. And because the marketplace people actually specialize mostly in ict, every sale is part of an analysis. You can instantly see which of your products are popular and why. Or which of your competitors' products are doing better, so you can improve your own offering. The marketplace gives you instant insight into trends and orders, making your production planning much more efficient. This helps reduce waste and control costs, which is crucial in the manufacturing industry.
And then there's your marketing. Of course, you should always tout your own product. No one can do that better than you. But the marketplace itself must do the same. A marketplace provides access to a large customer base without you having to set up large-scale marketing campaigns yourself. And the marketplace invests in visibility and trust, which increases your chances of selling.
How easy is that? It's literally a tick on the marketplace and with no translation, no marketing team you can sell your product all over Europe. Just contact me and we'll turn a one-man-company into a virtual multinational. Quickly and efficiently. And you are no longer alone.
That might leave you time to start a hobby. Playing the guitar maybe?