tech-company, marketing, startup-costs, testingWhat steps do I need to take before creating landing page for the project? Are there any good web services to check if your idea solves people’s problems and there is nothing similar to your project yet?
We have a problem with testing utility and innovation of our products in primary stage - we found solution to problem that our idea based on too late and we wasted two weeks of work. ;)
Believe you might misunderstand how markets work. Having a solution is only half the battle, and in fact, often not as important as having a market for the solution. The solution is not only what it is, but how it is presented.
Being completely original is not as important as being able to sell your idea. If you have a solution, market it, since that’s the next step, not insuring that you don’t have competition.
I agree that this is hard. There are 3 parts IMHO.
Finding Competitors:
Really get into the Devil’s advocate mindset- how can I show this idea sucks and is done already? Otherwise, I find I get a blindspot.
Google, but spend a long time. Go past page 1 and 2. Try keyword variations. Really dig.
Post on forums for that market, and ask what is recommended as a solution to the problem.
As wacky as this is, hire someone- can be a junior or a friend- to find competitors. They will find more than you, since they are without bias. The results will be hard to take sometimes, as they may find serious competitors, but it’s better than the alternative.
Testing the Idea
Before making a complex landing page, I’d consider:
The way I think is: “If my idea is really great, I shouldn’t need a billboard in Times Square to sell it. I should get a few emails about interest just from a few Craigslist ads”
You can also consider KickStarter or IndiGoGo. KickOffLabs.com also helps.
Does it Matter?
If you are hitting a niche or have a design or UX or feature that is 10X better than the competitor, all this might not be relevant. But, the risk is very high. Startups like that are a 5 year life investment. So be very certain that you are committed.
Also, if you are part of a funded business with a marketing budget, this might not be as relevant. You don’t need 100% of a market to be successful if you have a similar base. But I’d stay away- as tempting as it may be- to move into a vertical market that doesn’t have any overlap.
Testing Public Need
"Are there any good web services to check if your idea solves people's problems and there is nothing similar to your project yet?"
Absolutely! Consider Kickstarter ;-) the premier crowdsourcing website!
Simply google for keywords using Kickstarter to validate startup idea
and you'll get high quality information and links like:
A number of startups are doing this, you won't be alone! You can even reach out to them for advice - we entrepreneurs are notorious for paying it forward!
David Schofield, Hotspot Office, LLC 412.726.1147
PS: By the way, you should be congratulated for realizing your problems at the stage you did. The number of companies who have burned millions of dollars on a faulty idea that they never validated is uncountable. Check out Eric Ries' book, the Lean Startup; and listen to Steve Blank's talk about this very problem at Retooling Early Stage Development
In fact, check out ALL the free, downloadable podcasts from Stanford's "Spirit of Entrepreneurship" class.
All content is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.