Missed Opportunity
Lynn Thomas was awestruck by the unusual artistic candles that she discovered at an outdoor market. She was curious about the production method, but the vendor refused to answer questions about how the product was made, explaining that her brother created the products.
Thomas bought a candle, and through lengthy trial and error she later discovered how to produce the candles herself. She wrote a how-to book on the subject, which became a bestseller.
Lessons:
The craft how-to marketplace is part of a billion-dollar industry.
The vendor failed to follow up on a customer’s request for more information, or anticipate competition, or capitalize fully on other ways to profit from their creative efforts. And apparently they didn’t realize that not all production processes can be hidden by secrecy.
They overlooked an opportunity to teach workshops, create and market books and videos, or license their methods to business opportunity seekers. As a result, they limited their profit potential and gave away their idea.
A one or two person company is restricted in how much product they can produce at any given time.
Other people may have asked the vendor how the candles were made, but where the vendor failed to see the opportunity in their interest, Thomas saw potential in sharing what she learned.
When the candle making e-book debuted on the Internet, do you think the vendor was thrilled?
Reference
http://www.writersweekly.com/this_weeks_article/000617_07182001.html
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