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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Project InterConnect: A Success
[ZOMBiE CyGiG] ranted at 12:12 AM --- Post#8314861357498065244

I would declare my IC making project a little success. I started off about one plus month ago and sold a handful of ICs since then.

From then i had learnt several pointers

1. Its more marketing than anything else
Its more on how u market your product than how good the audio is. An assurance or review from a reliable audiophile is more important than the actual audio-wellness itself. Ppl get self assurance buying things from someone or some company that seems reliable and big. Also ppl tend to judge things by cover. Outlook is everything! Having a cable that sounds like live sex wun sell if it looks like pubic hair. Also u need a point of comparison like "It sounds similar to Silver Bendy" or "Its as good as ALO" for customer to paint a better idea. You will need to have lobang on where to sell, what to sell, type of services etc etc to paint a complete picture.

And thru the course, i realised some other commercial products are total bullshit and sells exp. Gimmicks all the way. I wonder their developer team studied electronics or they studied marketing? But anything since its seems to be useful and working..why not follow them? ^_^

2. Peak reached easily
Alot of things the level of audio-goodness had already reached a peak, where the difference between cables are just different in signatures - meaning no obvious winner or loser. That is unlike the stock IC which is obviously lousy. The rest depends on things like packaging, marketing and word of mouth.

3. Its about exaggeration
When advertising about the ICs, u needa point out explicitly why its better than your competitors. Some features are already there by default for us to package it in. Things like EMI shields, sparking good looking Neutrik plugs, wear and tear protection heat shrink tubes, sleek sleeve design are there for me to list down and state them in my advert in a professional way.

4. Photography is cheating
I dumped the whole idea of one-perfect-shot photography. Learning to edit like a pro is much easier than economically cheaper than learning to shoot like a pro. I borrowed some techniques from yan on how he shoot review photo and apply it to my advert to produce stunning looking pictures.

5. Customization Works!
Ppl like their things to be customised. Thats why i offer customised cable. On the other hand, i shall not offer customisation that i would have big problem achieving. As a added bonus, i had a default cable that i myself think its the best combo of all, and offer it at a lower price to send the idea to my customer that its actually the "right thing" to buy that default cable - becos IMO it is! In that way i can also produce and take in more materials for that default cable as its expected to have more order.

6. Pricing Issues
Never think of getting big bucks at first. Thing about ppl like me, NSF, who cant afford shit. I tend to give NSF and students lee way on bargains cos i understand how shortage of cash feels. For now i just managed to break even from my research cost. It take the cost of ten cables for research purpose to make one final product. Dun think i dint earn anything (since my profit and research fee breaks even), what i got is this priceless thing call experience and knowledge.

7. Get The Right Partners
Doing this alone is simple impossible. I got to thank my friends for all the help.

Wenze - My golden ear as well as walking encyclopedia. Not only he has a rabbit ear, he can answer all my technical questions with ease. Graduating from RJC, wenze is the definite electronics engineer to rely on.

Wenyan - Yet another electronics and audio guru. This guy is nothing but busy, but a good source of help when he is free to talk.

Tsun Lam - My creative manager. Though not technically as skilled, this guy is filled with brilliant ideas to work things out. From packaging to marketing to sourcing for deals and lobang to product design, he will have a share in it.

Desmond - With all the current commercial audio products at his finger tips, he will be my point of contact when it comes to wacking my competitors to dead (though still far from it, im dying first)

Myself - Im the product designer, manufacturer, advertiser, researcher, sales manager and the delivery boy. Enuff said.

With great help on the way, of course there will be some disturbance through the course, some people may boss in our way and flaunt his egoism more than effective work.

I launched so many projects...not that much are successful. I think this project is one of the better ones, though financially lacking, but filled with fun and passion. I will now settle down a bit on cables..and look into other projects...

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