At Launchpeer, we’ve worked with over 200 startups in the past two years, and startup idea validation is always the one thing we can’t stress enough. We get it. You’re hyped about your amazing new idea. You think thousands of other people will be hyped about it, too.
The thing is, you might truly have an amazing idea. You very well could build the next unicorn. But until you have proof that your product a) solves a problem, b) is enough of a solution that consumers want to use it, and c) they want it enough to pay for it, then sit tight before you invest thousands of dollars to plan a national launch. You really shouldn’t be doing anything other than validating your idea.
Think of launching a startup idea without validation, like roasting an expensive, 20-pound organic turkey for a dinner party, only to find out all the guests are vegetarians. Or spending hours whipping up the perfect batch of gourmet chocolate chip cookies for your neighbors, only to realize that they don’t eat gluten. Ok, so maybe I’m hungry… but you get the point!
If you launch, pivot or attempt to scale without testing your assumptions (validating your idea), you’re putting the cart before the horse. Customer interviews are literally the easiest (and probably the best) way to gain feedback (i.e. customer validation).
The result is real insight into whether your startup idea has demand, and exactly what features and functionality prospective users actually want.
We recommend conducting 100-200 customer interviews (and we mean customers–not just your best friend or uncle Bob) to get enough unbiased insight before you build a full-fledged product.
So how, exactly, can you get that much feedback in a matter of days? Here are 6 simple steps to get your idea in front of hundreds of potential customers.
Do they experience the problem you’re trying to solve?
What do they do to solve it now?
Is there anything they would change about their current solution?
Would they be willing to pay for a solution?
Use Bit.ly to create a branded shortlink to send out your survey via social media and email.
No, I don’t mean look up their houses on Google Street View (That’d be creepy!). Figure out which sites they use most often and what blogs they’re reading and post your survey link there.
Are they active in Facebook groups? Share your survey there. Do they regularly use LinkedIn and Twitter? Direct message them. Are they regularly posting on forums like Quora and Reddit? Share your link there. Is there a local or industry-specific blog for your product type? Share a link the comments section of recent articles.
Let’s say your target is millennial bar-hoppers. Head to a local watering hole at happy hour, ask if you can sit at a front table with a sign (or call ahead to double check with the manager), and let people know you’re collecting feedback for a new bar app. Consider offering an incentive like the chance to win an Amazon gift card or giveaway a drink koozie.
You can conduct actual in-person interviews and write or record their responses, or you can bring an iPad and have them fill out your online survey on the spot. Gyms, coffee shops, co-working spaces, grocery stores, and other public spots might work, too, depending on your target audience.
You can use the same list you compiled for LinkedIn and Twitter outreach, or make a list of local businesses that might fit your target audience. Your cold-call phone list should include a minimum of 50 phone numbers. Consider a lot of people will ignore random phone calls.
Leave messages if they don’t pick up (you can use a script similar to the sample outreach mentioned in tip #2) and ask for a call back if they have time to answer a few short questions. In case they don’t call back, make sure to clearly mention where they can take your online survey.
This strategy is similar to tip #3, except you may get even more visibility if the environment is industry-specific and people are already there to network and learn. You can target large-scale conferences and casual meetups. Search Eventbrite, Meetup.com, Facebook, your local paper, or local, industry-related websites and blogs to find out what’s happening.
If you have the budget, consider event sponsorships to increase your exposure. Ask event organizers if they’d be willing to send your survey link to attendees.
Include a link so everyone you reach out to can share your survey via email or social media. Go an extra step and even craft some sample tweets with a click-to-tweet link.
Are you validating a startup idea? We’d love to hear how it’s going. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Allyson Sutton is a freelance writer and content strategist who’s worked with early-stage startups and major tech companies like Citrix and Red Hat. At 23, she was the first hire at a nationally-recognized product startup and the following year, she helped launch and grow an award-winning network of co-working spaces across North Carolina. If she’s not building hype, she’s probably riding her bike around Charleston, SC or making a new playlist.