China is massive. Almost any product can find a niche if positioned correctly. But many businesses approach China as if it's one single market. In reality, it's more like 30 different markets moving at the same time.
A recent discussion with a client illustrated this well. They had a strong MVP and a product that could clearly work internationally. But when we started defining the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), the challenge became obvious:
- ▸ Who exactly in China would buy it?
- ▸ In which region?
- ▸ Through which channel?
- ▸ And most importantly — why now?
Without this clarity, even a good product can struggle. For example, some NZ food & beverage brands assume "Chinese consumers love imported products." That may be true — but which consumers, in which city, and for what occasion?
The answers to those questions change everything: which distributor fits, what price point holds, which channel deserves the first investment, and how quickly traction is realistic. Getting the target market right is the difference between engineering traction and hoping for it.
Julian Zhu
Founder & Managing Director, MiDeer Consulting