Something that follows; a continuation.
Books and movies have been following this model for years. When one movie, like Die Hard, is successful, why not make Die Hard 2? When second books or movies are successful, sometimes a third comes out. Sometimes more. Soon, you've got what they call a franchise.
Now, some writers and producers are counting on this from the very beginning. They plan to possibility of a franchise from the get go. They leave certain plot lines open and give us not-so-subtle cliff-hangers. Built right in. Even though you know you're being set up for the next one, you're hooked.
We can do that, too. Doesn't matter whether you make a widget or a washing machine, you can plan a potential sequel or even a franchise. You can do it by conceiving possible enhancements early on and designing the product platform to accept them easily. You can do it by creating a different product life cycle and pricing approach. And, you can do it through branding by giving the product a sub-brand name that can be augmented or built upon in the future.
Too often we spend all our money and energy on bringing out the be-all-end-all product in our field. But there's an argument to be made for keeping a little in reserve on purpose and producing a more constant stream of upgrades - or sequels. How does your next big blockbuster end? Or, can you keep it going and milk it for everything its got? I can't wait to see what happens.
--Dave








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