MVP Testing Methods - Sell Before Building

[metalgear]

Hi Everyone,

I am in the middle of testing some business ideas and built an MVP using a template from ThemeForest.

I am considering doing a DropBox type of campaign where I create an explainer video and website before investing more time, money, and energy into building a complete packaged product with different tiers.

Has anyone here used the MVP testing methods listed below? https://greenice.net/type-mvp-right-startup/

If the test is not successful obviously there things to tweak or I will need to outright move on to a different product.

If the test is successful, how do you handle not being able to provide the service right away?

Did you sell it via a waitlist of some sort with a release date of 6 months/next year?

 

[Ryuzaki]

MVP’s make sense to me if you have a niche or untried idea you want to validate without burning through time and money. This is after you’ve done everything else you can to pre-validate like market research, customer profiles, surveys, interacting with individuals and understanding their needs, etc.

It’s completely unnecessary if you’re entering a big niche where others are already doing what you want to do. It’s all already validated.

That’s the kind of thing I go after (due to not having the inventors mind). I can optimize what’s already in existence (or combine or remix) but rarely come up with brand new ideas. So I like to just insert myself into an existing stream of flowing money.

And in that case, I like to come out of the gates swinging like @CCarter does. I’d rather make a huge splash and first impression when going public. I’m not a fan of launching in beta with incremental improvements. Expansion packs are fine, but I don’t want anyone to even know I exist until v1.0 is ready.

I also like to close any close-able loops too so they can’t distract me later. For a website, as an example, this would be completing the site’s design so I never need to think about it again. That way I can focus on content and links and marketing.

I feel like, while MVPs are meant to be agile and fast, they’re the opposite. If you have a big winner in your hands, you can’t blast off to the moon at scale. And someone else is thinking about and building the same business as you. Time is of the essence.

I say all that to say that I feel like it’s a question of “how much validation do I really need?” And “or am I afraid to fail and lose money and time”. You’re going to do that in most cases anyways. It’s baked into winning. So might as well swing for the stars (unless you truly need to validate a new idea in a niche market, which is rare). Losing otherwise usually boils down to a lack of or really bad marketing in the wrong channels.

 

[Poplanu]

MVP’s make sense to me if you have a niche or untried idea you want to validate without burning through time and money. This is after you’ve done everything else you can to pre-validate like market research, customer profiles, surveys, interacting with individuals and understanding their needs, etc.

It’s completely unnecessary if you’re entering a big niche where others are already doing what you want to do. It’s all already validated.

That’s the kind of thing I go after (due to not having the inventors mind). I can optimize what’s already in existence (or combine or remix) but rarely come up with brand new ideas. So I like to just insert myself into an existing stream of flowing money.

And in that case, I like to come out of the gates swinging like @CCarter does. I’d rather make a huge splash and first impression when going public. I’m not a fan of launching in beta with incremental improvements. Expansion packs are fine, but I don’t want anyone to even know I exist until v1.0 is ready.

I 100% agree with "optimize, combine, remix" approachin validated niches, but why not test whether there's enough demand for the remix/improve idea. Or the marketing angle you're attaching it to. Like whether people are willing to pay for your improved take on the product that already exists.

This can be done without building a MVP, Dropbox just had a fake video they were showing people of software that didn't exist.

I'm currently working with this in Ecom with paid ads, here it's a non-negotiable for launching anything, I do realize software can be more complicated though.