"My product is good enough, it'll market itself." How that turned out?

It's true: Having a great product that is useful, efficient, functional, and, why not, even good-looking is the absolute foundation for selling it effectively. But is it enough?

Building a product and marketing it are completely intertwined, especially today. You simply can't do one without the other.

Think about it this way: Imagine being the owner of an amazing Michelin-star restaurant with a famous chef who constantly cooks delicious, fresh meals. Now, imagine putting that restaurant in the middle of nowhere, 100 km from the closest city. How many people would actually eat there?

Marketing is the road and the signs you put up that lead people directly to your door.

However, not all marketing is created equal. How do you do it properly?

"Ship fast" is the usual rule of thumb, but I strongly believe it's not always the most successful path. Especially in the beginning, when you're launching a new product that nobody knows exists, you need to dedicate time to reflection.

Thinking about a strategy that works in the long term isn't wasting time but building purposefully.

I know it might feel like you're not doing anything because you're not shipping a new feature, launching on a new platform, or actively promoting. You're just working in the dark, pondering different possibilities, and wondering which one will work out better.

But this deep work is essential. You should ask yourself questions like:

• Who is my real target audience? (Not the whole world, obviously, but which specific niche?)

• What do I want to achieve in one year, or even five years? Is the goal to dominate a specific niche and stay there, or expand later? Will the product be dependent on a specific platform or ecosystem?

• How do I want people to perceive my product? Should it be considered a handy utility, an essential part of their everyday workflow, a cute add-on, or something else?

• Which touchpoints should I focus on? Where is my target audience actually spending their time online?

Strategy brings clarity because it allows you to analyze your goals and expectations, understand your product on a deeper level, and clearly define your next steps.

A product without a deep analysis is just a particle in a vacuum.

How much time did you dedicate to strategy before launching your product?