The Second Way to Shoot for the Target

The customer’s perception is your reality.

— Kate Zabriskie

When it comes to hitting a target, there are two distinct approaches. The first method is the one we’re all taught to admire: set your sights on a specific target, then work rigorously to hit the bullseye. This approach is seen as straight and honest—it requires skill, precision, and practice. Many people see this as the ideal path, requiring an intimate understanding of the destination, a clear view of the goal, and a relentless pursuit of it.

The second approach, however, is the one often met with skepticism: find a point that’s already within reach, then draw the target around it. On the surface, this can seem disingenuous or even opportunistic; it’s often associated with “spin tactics” used by politicians and public figures to make achievements appear larger than they are.

But here’s the twist: in the world of innovation and entrepreneurship, that second approach might just be the golden rule.

Shoot for the First Target 

Let’s take a common scenario. Suppose you start by creating a product, something that springs from your own vision or expertise. You’re following the “honest” way: defining a target, then setting out to achieve it. This is, in many ways, the most logical route to take because it starts with a clear focus on what you want to achieve. Yet, for every success story that begins this way, there are countless cases where brilliant ideas—undoubtedly well-crafted products—end up lost in the market wilderness. Why? Often, they fall victim to marketing myopia, focusing too heavily on the product and not enough on the needs and desires of the customer.

Starting with the product first can create a disconnect between what the product offers and what the customer actually needs. It’s like painting a masterpiece and realizing too late that there’s no audience for it.

For example, even giants like Intel, Meta, or Disney have all faced setbacks recently due to a narrow focus on their products rather than evolving customer needs. Intel, once a leader in semiconductors, concentrated on its traditional processors, missing out on the booming demand for GPUs and AI-driven chips, crucial to modern gaming and data applications where customer needs had clearly shifted. Meta, in its push to develop the metaverse, invested billions in virtual reality without fully assessing if users were ready or interested in an immersive virtual experience at scale. Disney also followed this product-centered path, launching both Disney+ and Hulu and investing heavily in streaming to compete with Netflix, instead of focusing on Disney Parks, its core and most unique offering, where customer satisfaction began to decline.

Shoot for the Second Target 

Now, let’s look at the second approach: start with customer needs. Rather than focusing on a fixed target you’ve created, begin by learning about the needs, challenges, and desires of your potential customers. In this approach, the customer—not the product—is at the center. Instead of aiming for a bullseye you designed, you’re crafting a solution that will land squarely within the customer’s target, no matter how it shifts or expands.

Imagine how transformative this approach can be for a startup founder or innovator. Instead of becoming enamored with a product idea, you begin with curiosity and empathy, uncovering what your target audience truly wants. And the beauty here is, by starting with the customer, you’re automatically drawing the target around something real. Instead of trying to convince people why your product matters, you’re developing a product that inherently does.

For example… you don’t really need them. Just look at every successful company, like Amazon, Tesla, Apple, and others.  

To Sum Up…

In entrepreneurship, aiming for a specific product without fully understanding the customer is often a recipe for marketing myopia and tunnel vision. It’s the difference between creating an answer to a question no one’s asking and crafting a solution that meets real, pressing needs. When you draw the target around the customer’s needs, you’re not just inventing a product; you’re providing value.

So the next time you set out on an entrepreneurial journey, ask yourself: are you aiming at a target you defined, or are you drawing the bullseye around something that matters to your audience? The latter approach may be less conventional, but it’s the one most likely to yield a product that people genuinely care about—and one that hits the mark every time.