A Wren Says

One thing that I absolutely hate is when people leave 1 star reviews for products that they have never bought. Or that they bought and don’t like, through no fault of the product. Like the person who bought regulation soccer shorts and hated they had no pockets. The shorts were designed specifically to fit within the laws of the game of soccer. Those laws dictate no pockets on uniforms. (It’s actually really dangerous and not just for design aesthetic.) The reviewer was interested, presumably in a pair shorts designed for exercise or hiking. These shorts were not designed with that consumer in mind. What then should the company do with that 1 star review? Nothing, she wasn’t their target consumer. Maybe that seem harsh, but sometimes you have to shun the disbelievers.

 During the Akimbo Podcast episode I was listening to, Seth Godin gave the advice that your goal shouldn’t be to not be hated. Your goal should not be to never get a one -star review. He alluded to the fact that this is actually the goal, because if there are people out there who don’t like your product, then that means you were good about creating for a specific audience, who were not necessarily those people.

If someone nicks a few stars because they didn’t like the price- not your target demographic pricewise

If someone says the colors are too loud and it looks tack- not your target demographic taste wise

Basically, you could think through all the reasons why someone doesn’t like you, your brand, or what you create and note that those characteristics will bring other people to you. There are people who are looking for premium products. There are people looking for standout apparel. Your goal is not, or rather, should not be to satisfy everyone. Your goal is to satisfy a particular need in the market. If other people choose to gravitate towards you, then that is great. But you are not making it for them. Stay focused on your target.