A close friend of mine keeps getting wrapped up in what I would deem pyramid schemes. First it was a mobile service provider that paid you each time you got someone to sign-up, and even more if that person got someone else to sign-up etc. etc. This time it’s the latest, greatest energy drink and wait for it, wait for it…this one is very safe and entirely natural. Just good wholehearted energy to keep you going.

I’m not going to get into the whole pyramid scheme thing, but I would like to ask the question I have. Do we need another energy drink? Do we need another mobile service provider? At what point in the product development process do you stop and tell yourself that the market is completely saturated? What about as a potential sales opportunity to earn yourself a paycheck? Does it enter your mind that the market is capped and there is a major uphill battle in front of you to get attention for longer than your free samples will last?

This doesn’t make sense to me. Instead of another energy drink or mobile service provider, why not spend the time to think a of another way to solve the problem? If you want an energy drink, chances are you already found one that fits your needs and if you don’t like energy drinks, chances are a new one is not going to sway you. Energy bars are done, energy gum is done. If your passion is to help people have more energy, what can you provide that is not already being done to death?

Stop focusing on how to enter a saturated market with yet another product and focus on delivering a solution to a problem in a new way. Your intent to add a new product insinuates that you think there is a gap so solve it. But adding yet another can to a full shelf is not going to let anyone know that your product is different.

If they are already skipping that aisle, you have done nothing new to persuade them not to.

Read more: Energy Drinks Dangerous For Young Children