Inside the Subtle Marketing Shift That Changed Roomba's Fortunes
How lowering expectations and downplaying its own technology helped a cutting-edge company reach a whole new customer.
By Joe Keohane •
Let a robot replace you. For years, this was iRobot's pitch for the Roomba, its robotic vacuum cleaner. And for years it worked well, generating strong annual sales growth for the Massachusetts firm. There was only one problem: A sizable cohort of potential consumers didn't believe it. These were people who valued an immaculate home. They worked hard at it. They didn't think a robot could replace them. And they were right. It probably couldn't.
Related: How to Make the Right Sales Pitch
Continue reading this article — and all of our other premium content with Entrepreneur+
For just $5, you can get unlimited access to all Entrepreneur’s premium content. You’ll find:
- Digestible insight on how to be a better entrepreneur and leader
- Lessons for starting and growing a business from our expert network of CEOs and founders
- Meaningful content to help you make sharper decisions
- Business and life hacks to help you stay ahead of the curve
