Bootstrapping and infinite diversity

Filed in archive Bootstrapper Tips on November 21, 2007

Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking and The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, a book tremendously important to new ideas about bootstrapping, has this to say about customer need.

The video suggests:
• Customers do not necessarily know what they want
• There is no perfect product or service for everyone
• Only by embracing diversity do we gain maximum happiness

It seems there's something in this for the bootstrap entrepreneur creating a new product:
• Get your product in the hands of customers fast (Guy Kawasaki suggests "you'll also learn what your customers truly want you to fix.")
• solicit response from all your customers and use it to improve your product. Bootstrapper Greg Gianforte explains:

"[The customer] says, 'Uh, that does what your data sheet said, but we really expected this.' Well, that's good input. You could say, 'Well, you signed up for that data sheet. You have to take that.' Wrong answer. You go and put those features in."

• Seth Godin suggests, don't bother marketing to the masses. Instead market to the edge. Find your otaku.

Got any suggestions on how bootstrappers can serve a diverse customer base? We'd love to hear. Please leave a comment.