Spend time getting
feedback on what you’re selling before launching.
Don’t rely on affirmation from friends and family to validate that you have
a unique and salable product or service. Chances are, these people are
emotionally attached to you, and they’re more likely to think every idea you
share is the greatest thing since Nutella. Getting feedback from people who are
emotionally attached to you is a “disaster from the start,” says Adam Callinan,
founder of BottleKeeper.
Get market validation from potential customers who aren’t in your social
circle. Some entrepreneurs use the “will they pull out their wallet” test
before investing money in a business. Callinan, who’d come up with a prototype
for an individual beer bottle cooler, ran a crowdfunding campaign on Fundable to gauge
pre-orders for his product. His campaign raised nearly $14,000, 280
percent of his $5,000 goal.
Besides Fundable, there are a number of crowdfunding platforms to choose
from including Kickstarter, Indiegogo and Rockethub.
Other ways to get people’s feedback, says Sujan Patel, vice-president of
Marketing at When I Work,
is using customer insight survey tools, such asQualaroo and Client Heartbeat.
If you’re just starting out, surveys are a chance to find out what the customer
is hoping the product/service will solve or do for him or her. If you’re
already in business, surveys can ask how the customer found out about the
product or service, whether the customer is willing to be a return customer and
why.
Or if you’re in a job in the industry you plan on starting a business in, get
feedback from the people at your job -- your manager and clients
-- says Steve Tobak, founder of Invisor Consulting.