Post-it Will Introduce Extreme Notes, and It's a Textbook Lesson in How to Solve a Customer Problem The handy yellow sticky note is getting an upgrade for non-office settings.

By Liz Webber

Post-it Brand

Post-it Brand is going after customers who don't work in offices.

First sold in 1980, the brand's handy yellow sticky note has become a ubiquitous communication medium in offices, schools and homes (and it's the favorite low-tech office tool of Entrepreneur's Twitter followers).

But, what about situations that are a bit, shall we say, stickier?

Related: This Entrepreneur Needed a New Tube of Toothpaste and Ended Up Creating One of the Top Natural Oral Care Brands

Construction workers and kitchen staff need to communicate, too, and options are often limited, Post-it Brand discovered in research it commissioned from Wakefield Research. A survey of more than 1,000 workers who work in non-office settings found almost 40 percent had to redo a project at least once a week because of a communication issue.

The survey also found 77 percent of respondents resorted to unconventional means of communication, with 23 percent reporting they had written on a body part.

To keep people from taking a Sharpie to their arm, the brand created Post-it Extreme Notes. This heavy-duty upgrade to the original Post-it Note is designed to work in hot and cold temperatures, as well as wet conditions. It also will stick to a variety of surfaces, such as cement, steel, PVC piping and lumber.

Related: Podcast: This Founder Made Space for an Unusual Obsession -- and It Led to a One-of-a-Kind Kayak Company

Image Credit: Post-it Brand

"When developing new products, the Post-it Brand is committed to creating tools that facilitate effective communication and align with the integrity of the brand," Remi Kent, the brand's global business director, said in an emailed statement.

Related: The Simplest Ideas Can Be Extremely Profitable. Here's Proof.

The lessons for entrepreneurs are pretty simple but important to remember:

  1. If you're designing a new product or feature, look for a customer pain point and solve for that specific problem.
  2. Every product you create should fit your brand message and values.
  3. There may be customers for your product outside of the environment you designed it for.

You can get your own Post-it Extreme Notes starting in March.

Wavy Line
Liz Webber

Entrepreneur Staff

Insights Editor

Liz Webber is the insights editor at Enterpreneur.com, where she manages the contributor network.

Editor's Pick

A Leader's Most Powerful Tool Is Executive Capital. Here's What It Is — and How to Earn It.
Lock
One Man's Casual Side Hustle Became an International Phenomenon — And It's on Track to See $15 Million in Revenue This Year
Lock
3 Reasons to Keep Posting on LinkedIn, Even If Nobody Is Engaging With You
Why a Strong Chief Financial Officer Is Crucial for Your Franchise — and What to Look for When Hiring One

Related Topics

Growing a Business

My Startup Scored a Multimillion-Dollar Contract With a Fortune 100 Client in Just 3 Years. Here's What We Learned.

There's no perfect litmus test to gauge if you're ready to go after big business or not — but if you don't take the risk, you'll never realize the reward.

Marketing

5 Questions to Ask a PR Pro Before Hiring Them

You probably haven't considered asking these questions, but they're a great way to find the right PR firm for your business.

Marketing

This Location-Based Marketing Technique Is the Key to Boosting Retail Sales

Let's take an in-depth look at geofencing marketing and how it's helping retail locations drive foot traffic and boost sales.

Growing a Business

The Inevitable Challenges You'll Face as Your Business Grows — and How to Handle Them

There's going to be some discomfort as your business expands, but it doesn't have to stop you from achieving massive success.

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.