As a professional in the world of fitness, you know all about the fickle nature of trends and fads. No other industry has seen quite so many “miracle cures” target their audience. Out of the many, only a few stand the test of time.
Why Some Products Don’t Make It
Innovation is a wonderful thing. However, products often hit the market before there is enough data to support their value. Every time a new diet promises to make people lose weight fast and without effort, thousands of people jump on board to experience the miracle and a fad is born. After a few months, the stubborn extra pounds that those thousands of people are carrying around haven’t gone anywhere, and the fad starts to decelerate. Eventually, it fizzles out and disappears.
Some products don’t make it past their first year of sales because their value doesn’t equal their claims. They don’t deliver on their promises. Some fads can even cause harm.
Why Some Products Do Make It
In order for a product to move past the fad stage, there are a few factors that must always be present:
- They must offer value.
- They must solve a problem.
- They must make good on their claims.
- They must be safe.
- They must be priced appropriate to their value.
- There must be a market demand for them.
Even with all those criteria satisfied, some products will still fail. If the target market does not know the product exists, it doesn’t matter how great it is — it will fail. If the target market doesn’t believe in the product enough to try it, it will fail. So in addition to actually being a great product, in order to overcome the fad roadblock, it must be accessible and appealing to the target market.
What Product Has Made It
Liquid pool covers have passed the test of time. They have moved beyond a fad or a trend. They have been available internationally for over 20 years, and they continue to gain in popularity. Why has this niche product made it?
- Liquid pool covers offer value: they retain heat, save money and are easy to use.
- They solve problems: they keep pool water warm for swimmers, reduce operating costs for aquatics facilities, conserve water and reduce humidity.
- Certain liquid pool cover manufacturers, that prove they can make good on their claims, have made research and efficiency data readily available. They do what they promise.
- Similarly, you can find tests that ease any concerns about the safety of the product.
- They generally save much more money than they cost, with a high Return on Investment.
- The aquatics industry is a large and viable market with a high demand for products that will solve their problems.
Perhaps more importantly, though, liquid pool covers have been receiving more and more press with each year that passes. The target market has discovered the product and is talking about it. With the number of testimonials available, there is no hesitation to try the product and, once a facility tries it, they are hooked for good.
Liquid pool covers are readily available throughout North America and they are certainly appealing.
Why Will They Only Get More Popular
If you take a moment to consider the aquatics industry, there are a few problems that have always existed, and some that have developed based on current conditions.
Heating pool water to a comfortable temperature for swimmers is a problem that has existed since the first swimming pool. Keeping water in a pool during a severe drought is a problem that only exists in certain conditions. The viability of using an external heat source that costs money is a problem that fluctuates based on the cost of energy.
“Going Green” is a catch phrase of this generation, and liquid pool covers fit nicely with those goals. Not only do they conserve resources like energy and water, but also they are biodegradable themselves, and help reduce the amount of plastic — as opposed to traditional pool blankets.
Liquid pool covers are an answer to problems old and new, which is why their popularity will only grow.
Monique Nelson is the Sales & Marketing Manager of Flexible Solutions Ltd. She can be contacted at 800.661.3560 or by e-mail at monique@flexiblesolutions.com.
