When going out for a day at the beach, it is important to consider how you plan on protecting yourself from the sun. Sunscreen is a must, but traditional sun protection options like umbrellas and tents leave much to be desired. While an umbrella might be easy to set up, it is just as easily uprooted by a strong breeze; a tent can honestly be painful to prop up for just a few hours at the beach and doesn’t fare much better when it comes to the wind.
Out of frustration with these traditional sun protection options, innovative beach accessories have emerged as solutions to the common pain points of portability, setup ease, and overall durability, transforming the beachgoer’s experience.
Shifting Customer Preferences in Outdoor Gear
Customers seek convenience and ease of use in their products without abandoning functionality. Outdoor settings can be complicated to enjoy if too much setup is involved or you feel exposed to the elements. The beach faces ocean winds and a lack of shade, an unfortunate combination for traditional solutions such as the tent or the umbrella. Combine that with a cumbersome tent bag or a too-tall pole, and you’ll have consumers looking for a better way.
In search of superior convenience at the beach, companies and consumers have shifted toward durable and wind-resistant designs. These solutions have become popular products but tend to settle into one niche or another rather than usurping the traditional solutions that most people have on hand.
The Power of Word-of-Mouth in Product Growth
Increasingly, brands in various industries have come to rely on organic growth, with word-of-mouth marketing becoming their most powerful tool. If you have a product that people genuinely value and use daily, they will become advertisers for your company without a second thought.
Shibumi Shade built its market presence in beach sun protection options without spending money on advertising in its first four to five years, relying on strong customer relationships and organic word-of-mouth marketing. It was as simple as someone seeing a Shibumi Shade on the beach and asking about it—there was their next customer.
“We never imagined that our beach shade would resonate so strongly with people,” said Alex Slater, CEO of Shibumi Shade. “Our growth has been a direct result of customers loving the product and spreading the word. That’s been our greatest marketing tool.”
Innovation and Patent Protection: A Key to Longevity
A product’s unique design can give companies an edge in competitive markets, but this approach can also make them targets for imitation. While this may be the sincerest form of flattery, companies can’t afford to lose business to the competition. Patents are essential to safeguarding innovation, providing companies with resources to take action against imitators who would cut in on their market niche.
Shibumi Shade takes a proactive approach to securing and defending its intellectual property, ensuring its innovative design remains its own. This methodology has helped the company maintain its market leadership position.
Strategic Investment for Scaling Operations
Almost every business will reach a point where external investment becomes an essential aspect of scaling. Whether to expand their product lines, enter a new market, or expand their geographic reach, companies will make investments to build their future. This is a crucial move for companies with a particular niche to generate more interest in the brand.
Innovation and Customer-Centered Growth as Essential for Success
To build a lasting brand, a company must prioritize innovation, customer engagement, and patent protection to adapt and thrive in changing markets. Whether developing a better solution for sun protection or convenient outdoor gear, utilizing alternative advertising methods, or protecting their intellectual property, success is found in maintaining these priorities.
