How do I market a product that has real weaknesses?

Efri · 1 min read

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We go and fix the product weakness first.

Because marketing a weak product just means more people find out faster. You'll get the sales, then the refunds, then the reviews, and now the weakness has a public record.

So fix it. That's the answer most of the time.

But if you genuinely can't fix it yet, then:

Say it yourself, first. Naming your own weakness is disarming and it buys you enormous credibility on everything else you claim.

Narrow to who it doesn't matter for. Most weaknesses only hurt some buyers. Find the ones it doesn't affect and sell to them.

Be excellent at the one thing it does well. A product that's outstanding at one thing and bad at four beats a product that's mediocre at five.

Don't compete where you're weak. Don't put yourself in the comparison where that weakness is the deciding column.

Set expectations properly. A customer who knew going in is fine. A customer who found out afterwards is a refund and a review.

What you can't do is hide it. It'll come out, and it'll come out from someone else, which is much worse than it coming from you.