{"id":803,"date":"2020-11-13T16:12:14","date_gmt":"2020-11-13T16:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/2020\/11\/13\/how-to-brainstorm-unique-products-in-a-competitive-market\/"},"modified":"2020-11-13T16:12:14","modified_gmt":"2020-11-13T16:12:14","slug":"how-to-brainstorm-unique-products-in-a-competitive-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/2020\/11\/13\/how-to-brainstorm-unique-products-in-a-competitive-market\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Brainstorm Unique Products in a Competitive Market"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p><span class=\"rating-result mrp-filter before_content rating-result-1-13680\"> <span class=\"no-rating-results-text\">No ratings yet. Please rate this article at the end ?<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>You don\u2019t need to have a \u201cEureka!\u201d moment to come up with a great business idea. You can easily come up with great ideas if you ask yourself the right questions.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>More people are interested in entrepreneurship than ever before. Everyone gets stuck at \u201ccoming up with a good idea.\u201d<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>One problem I see is people want to create copycat products that aren\u2019t any different from the incumbents. Or they want to make the same thing, but just do it cheaper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>My friend mentioned he wanted to start a protein bar company. They\u2019re consumable, easy to put on subscription model, and decent margins.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is they\u2019re kinda competitive.<\/p>\n<p>I asked him what his bars are going to be like?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTastes great, low sugar, high protein, and high fiber.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>My immediate reaction: \u201c<em>How are you going to compete against Quest and all the other protein bars that promise the exact thing?<\/em>\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span>You need to solve problems, and you need to solve them in a different way than everyone else.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I\u2019m going to walk you through the brainstorming session I had with him. He\u2019s not pursuing this industry anymore so maybe one of you guys can do something with it (and hook me up with protein bars!)\u00a0<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>You can approach ideation in a systematic manner. Take the question and framework that I\u2019m using, and use to brainstorm ideas for yourself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>1. What Demographics Aren\u2019t Being Served?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>I started getting into skincare when I saw my first wrinkle. I went off to Walgreen\u2019s. And went straight to the men\u2019s aisle and saw my options.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>I didn\u2019t understand why my facial lotion had to be \u201cextreme.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Later on, I learned that there\u2019s really no difference between men and female skincare. I\u2019m paying extra for it to smell like trees.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>You see this in all industries. Women pay something called the \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.listenmoneymatters.com\/the-pink-tax\/\"><span>Pink Tax<\/span><\/a><span>.\u201d<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>You can take this mentality and create a brand around demographics. <\/span><span><br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Older men<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Older women<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Kids<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Teenagers<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>You can formulate the protein bars to serve the demographic better. Add some cartoon images for the kids. Older women will be attracted to bars with collagen in them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>2. What\u2019s the Next Diet Trend?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>Here are the guarantees in life: Death, Taxes, and a new diet <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Trends\" href=\"https:\/\/charlesngo.com\/go\/trends\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">trend<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Keto is the hot diet right now. A few years ago, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/perfectketo.com\/\"><span>PerfectKeto<\/span><\/a><span> came in and crushed it. They have supplements and protein bars designed to help people with their Keto goals.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>Going vegan is becoming more popular. There are plenty of vegan protein bars out there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>These two markets are probably too competitive right now for you to enter.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><b><br \/><\/b><b>Do some research into what the next diet <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Trends\" href=\"https:\/\/charlesngo.com\/go\/trends\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">trends<\/a> are.<\/b><b><br \/><\/b><span><br \/><\/span><span>Here\u2019s what I found:<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span>There\u2019s an increasing demand for diets that boost immunity. You can guess why. <\/span><\/li>\n<li>\n<span>Another diet <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Trends\" href=\"https:\/\/charlesngo.com\/go\/trends\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">trend<\/a> is the DASH diet, which is focused on preventing heart disease and lowering high blood pressure. <\/span><b>It\u2019s based on restricting the amount of sodium. <\/b><span><br \/><\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>Understand the needs of the diet, and formulate appropriately.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>3. What\u2019s a Unique Ingredient with Proven Benefits?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>The right ingredient can provide a benefit, and differentiate your product from everyone else\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>What is one unique ingredient that you can add to your bar? How does that benefit help?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/us.foursigmatic.com\/\"><span>Four Sigmatic<\/span><\/a><span><span> pioneered the mushroom movement for supplements and coffee. There\u2019s a <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Trends\" href=\"https:\/\/charlesngo.com\/go\/trends\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">trend<\/a> towards people realizing the power of mushrooms.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/exoprotein.com\/\"><span>Exo Protein<\/span><\/a><span> is using Crickets. There\u2019s a trend toward sustainability. Crickets are the world\u2019s most sustainable protein.\u00a0<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>I would research other sources of \u201cweird\u201d protein. Research other cultures. Look at the \u201cpast\u201d for inspiration. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bulletproof.com\/\"><span>Bulletproof<\/span><\/a><span> made butter in coffee popular, but it has existed for thousands of years in Tibet. Chia seeds are popular now with suburban moms, but Peruvians have been eating it for thousands of years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>What other insects could be good sources of protein?<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>You could do an ant, beetle, or grasshopper based protein bar. <\/span><span><br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Think about how large the \u201ccollagen\u201d protein industry has become. What\u2019s the next collagen?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>4. What Flavors Are Popular, but Aren\u2019t Utilized Yet?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>This one\u2019s inspired by Ben &amp; Jerry\u2019s.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>I\u2019m looking at protein bars, and they tend to fall into the usual flavors: vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, cookie dough, cookies and cream, etc.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>What other interesting flavors can you come up with?<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>Here are a few ideas I have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><b><b>Ethnic based. <span>Could there be protein bars that are Indian, Japanese, or Brazilian flavored?<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/b><\/li>\n<li>\n<b>Cereal.<\/b><span> When I lived in New York, I loved getting cookies by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/milkbarstore.com\/\"><span>Milk Bar<\/span><\/a><span>. Their signature flavor was \u201ccereal.\u201d I wonder if there are any protein bars inspired by our favorite cereals. This could invoke a nostalgia play.<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Popular Existing Flavors<\/strong>. <span>What are the top ice cream flavors out there? Which ones aren\u2019t served by protein bars?\u00a0<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>Unique flavors are powerful because they encourage repeat purchases. If someone\u2019s a fan of one flavor, they\u2019re going to want to try them all. <\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>And for first time buyers, offering a \u201cvariety pack\u201d of all flavors will do well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>5. How Can I Deliver the Protein in a Different Way?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>Protein bars come in the same standard, rectangular shape. <\/span><span><br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>There\u2019s a market for delivering the protein in a different form.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The first method would be to offer different packaging. Peanut butter usually comes in a jar. <\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.superfat.com\/\"><span>Superfats<\/span><\/a><span> packages peanut butter as on-the-go snacks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/307ntl34wci12hk39n1c9pfv-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/61WRrbv05VL._SX425_.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-13682 ncube-custom-class sp-no-webp\" height=\"224\" width=\"224\"><\/p>\n<p><span>Another idea is to not limit yourself to <\/span><b>bars<\/b><span>. People want protein. What other forms can you deliver protein in?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Protein peanut butter<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Protein peanut butter cups like Reeses<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Protein crackers<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Protein rice cakes<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Protein waffles\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Protein cookie<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Protein ice cream<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span>6.\u00a0 What Are the Biggest Problems with Protein Bars?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>My favorite protein bar is <\/span><b>RXBAR<\/b><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I\u2019ve always wondered what kind of \u201ccrap\u201d companies put into protein bars. RXBAR makes a bold promise on their packaging.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>These are their ingredients. That\u2019s it. There was a \u201ctransparency\u201d problem with protein bars, and they fixed it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What other problems could there be with protein bars?<\/b><b><br \/><\/b><span><br \/><\/span><span>The easiest way is to research popular protein bars on Amazon. What are people complaining about in their reviews?<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>I did some research and came up with some ideas:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<b>Someone wants a bar that\u2019s easier to digest. <\/b><span>They get upset stomachs whenever they eat one. Create one that\u2019s plant-based and high in fiber.<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<b>Someone loves to take their protein bars on hikes, but it gets crushed and melted easily. <\/b><span>The bars are individually wrapped in a harder plastic.\u00a0<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span>7. How Can I Make Protein Bars More Functional?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>I\u2019m assuming most people eat protein bars as a convenient and healthy snack. What if the protein bar could contain ingredients that help them serve a specific purpose?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<b>Survival Bar:<\/b><span><span> People are into \u201csurvival\u201d and emergencies more than ever because of COVID-19. Create one that\u2019s designed to last longer than traditional. Their bars last for a year, ours is designed to last for a decade.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<b>Sleeping Protein Bars: <\/b><span><span>Some people have trouble falling asleep at night. It could be because they\u2019re going to bed hungry. What if there was a protein bar designed to help you sleep. It\u2019s easy to digest and has some sleep aid ingredients such as L-theanine.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<b>Focus Bars: <\/b><span><span>Contains Nootropics and caffeine. A better alternative to coffee and energy drinks. They help you focus and keep you full!<\/span><\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<b>The Beauty Bar: <\/b><span>Eat this protein bar to improve your skin. It\u2019s full of collagen and retinol. <\/span>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span>8. How Can I Create an Aspirational Brand Story?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>People love stories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I was broke in college, and I needed a notebook. There was the generic one for $5. Next to it was the $20 Moleskine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I went with the Moleskine even though I couldn\u2019t afford it. This was the journal of Picasso, Van Gogh, and Ernest Hemingway. Maybe writing in this notebook would help me become more creative.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><b><br \/><\/b><b>Buying it increased my sense of identity. <\/b><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>Think about what tribes would buy a protein bar and who they\u2019d aspire to be like.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<b>Viking Protein Bars:<\/b><span><span> Crossfitters and Tough Mudders think they\u2019re warriors. When the Vikings went to war, they brought along protein bars. These protein bars are based on ancient recipes.<\/span><\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<b>Louis and Clark Bars:<\/b><span> Hikers want to be like Louis and Clark. These protein bars were inspired by a recipe found in one of their journals.<\/span>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Military \/ Patriot bars: <span>I don\u2019t need to do a search to know that there are military and patriot inspired protein bars out there.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>There\u2019s who the customer is now, and there\u2019s who the customer wants to become.<\/b><span> The customers buy products to help them feel connected to their end goal.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>It\u2019s why some people are willing to buy Louis Vuitton even though they can\u2019t afford it. It\u2019s what they aspire to be like.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>You Have More Ideas Than You Think<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>I haven\u2019t always been in business ideation mode.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But I have spent over a decade generating angles and headlines. I\u2019ve learned that the easiest way to generate ideas is through questions and formulas.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/charlesngo.com\/headlineformulas\/\"><span>4 Profitable Headline Formulas<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/charlesngo.com\/anglesystem\/\"><span>Angle Generation System<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><\/a><span>With this article, I wanted to show how I\u2019d approach a competitive industry such as protein bars.<\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span><br \/><\/span><span>One more note: don\u2019t be scared if your product already exists. Apple didn\u2019t create the first smartphone. Execution is more important. <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"rating-form mrp-filter after_content\">\n<h4>Please rate this article &#8211; it helps me know what to write!<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>https:\/\/charlesngo.com\/brainstormproducts\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=803"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salarydistribution.com\/affiliate-marketing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}