Small businesses can learn from Ford's strategy of targeting the middle class by understanding the importance of market research and timing. Ford used data to identify a gap in the market and developed a product to fill that gap. However, the delay in launching the product due to external factors like the Korean War worked against them. Small businesses can take away the importance of timely execution and adaptability. They should also understand their customer base and their needs, and be ready to pivot their strategies based on changing market conditions.
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To be clear, Ford was well-supported by data in its targeting of the middle class. The company was frustrated by its customers trading up their entry-level Fords for more medium-priced cars made by its competitors. Ford's middle of the road offering, the Mercury, was an unpopular selection. Company heads issued studies to confirm the attractiveness of a new offering in this space in 1948. The nine-year launch delay was mostly due to the occurrence of the Korean War in 1950, which shifted raw materials away from consumer industries and towards war efforts. Some point to this time lag as a key factor working against the Edsel. While consumers may have had an appetite in the late 1940s for this sort of vehicle, come the late 1950s, these opinions have gotten stale.