The running shoe market is full of established competitors: Adidas, Nike, New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, Asics to list the top ones reviewed in a recent Runner’s World shoe issue.
So how does one try and break into this market?
Identify a niche
Most shoe models are changed every year so if a running likes a particular shoe, they can't keep buying it every year. It keeps changing. Some runners really serious about their shoes will go and buy several to keep them around for awhile. So what if a company comes along and guarantees to keep a model active, available and unchanged for 5 years. See the Loco promise.
Put together a team
Recruit some running shoe design experience. Get some marketing experience. Checkout the bios of the founders.
Put together a different approach
Co-sponsor of local road races. Instead of providing t-shirts to runners for the entry fee and souvenir, give them one model of the new shoe in their size.
Big risk.
If the runners don't like the shoe, some may not even enter the race.
If they try it out and don't like it, the word will spread.
Of course, they are hoping that by trying it out and liking it, that this good word will spread.
This is the Loco Shoe story.
If you are running in New England, consider a Loco race!
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