25a

What I Think is Next:

I believe the next step regarding my venture’s products and services is to figure out how to attract the people who don’t care as much about the environment. I think my business idea will attract people who want to make a difference for the environment, but if I want this company to continue to grow I need to reach as many people as possible.

Reflection (Existing Market):

Based on my expectations and feedback from customers in my market, I feel like the best path for my future involves me looking from the perspective of the customer in order to give them the product/service that would be most satisfying to them. It is important for me to understand their thought process so I can adjust my selling strategy so it suits their needs. I feel like going above and beyond regarding the customer’s needs will separate me from most companies and will put my business in the best position to be successful.

My first interviewee thought that the next step for my business should be to figure out which area would be best to start my company. This person stressed the importance of location because of how crucial a factor it is to get my business off to a quick start. She liked my idea of reaching out to everyone, even those who aren’t interested in the environmental side of my solar business because it gives my business more chances to be profitable.

My second interviewee believed the next step I should take regarding my solar business is to find the ideal way to contact potential customers so they are more inclined to be interested in my business. He explained that some people like face-to-face interaction, while others would prefer a simple phone call or even just an email. He thought my idea to reach out to more potential markets was interesting, but thought it was best to focus on the people that would be more inclined to buy a solar energy program.

My third interviewee thought that the next step my business should take is keeping a close eye on the solar trends and how they change. He told me that if I am one step ahead of my competitors than my business has a much higher chance of taking off. He agreed that I should try to sell my solar business to all people because I can use different selling points that might attract different types of people.

         After the three interviews and my own expectations, I have decided that reaching out to all potential customers and understanding their needs makes the most sense for my venture in regards to growing my existing market.

New Market:

The different market I plan to target is people that live in climates with less sunlight that might not think solar power is a realistic option. These people probably don’t know a lot of information about solar energy because most solar energy companies focus on areas that produce the most sunlight. This creates an untapped market for me to exploit which will allow my business to continue growing. Once I have established customers in the ideal climates for solar energy, I will have salesman reach out to people in climates with less sunlight and breakdown our business and why it can be beneficial to them. We shouldn’t put limits on how large our business can become which is one of the main reasons I believe targeting this different market will be very valuable.

Reflection:

         I called a person that lives in Wyoming (one of the worst states for solar energy) and described to them my concept. She was very interested and said she would like to know more about solar energy because there are not many solar companies in Wyoming. She told me that she has never been reached out to about solar energy for her home. Her advice to me would be to advertise solar energy in places like Wyoming so people are aware of the option and can learn more information about it. She explained that it would probably be difficult to convince people to switch to solar energy in that climate, so I would need to use a lot of resources in order to gain their interesting and ultimately get their business.

         My second interview was over the phone with a person that lives in South Dakota (one of the worst states for solar energy) and described to them my concept and why I think it can be successful. He said it was an intriguing notion, but doesn’t see it as realistic because the climate won’t support it throughout the year and most people living there are satisfied with their current electricity system. He believes solar energy is on the rise and can be successful in the right area, but South Dakota is not one of them, at least not right now.

         I learned a lot from these interviews as they both didn’t have high hopes about the solar business being successful in climates with less sunlight. It was interesting for me to get these people’s perspective as I have never visited Wyoming or South Dakota before or talked to anyone from there.  What surprised me the most was how little exposure to solar energy information they had because of where they lived. I would say most of my expectations were not correct as I thought the solar business had potential in these climates while the two people I spoke too mostly disagreed. This market does not appear to be as attractive as my existing market, which is why I have concluded that I should focus the majority of my resources on my existing market because they are the people most likely to have interest in the solar business.