“People need my product!” (But do they want it?)

I recently received this question:

I’ve built a software product. Currently, there’s no demand for it in the market, but I’m sure people need it. How can I get people using it?

Here’s my response:

The only way to successfully market a product is to make something people want.

Identifying a “need” isn’t enough:

People need to lose weight for their long-term health, but most don’t. (In the USA, over 68% of adults are overweight or obese). People need to switch to environmental transportation o...