How To TEST ANY BUSINESS OR PRODUCT IDEA With REAL Customers → 3 Simple Steps

Summary

Rick Kettner's video outlines a three-step process to test business ideas with real customers. It emphasizes creating a simple website, gathering early reactions to refine messaging, and testing the idea with real customers using marketing channels like Facebook ads. The goal is to reduce risk, learn, and improve the odds of success without significant time, energy, or money.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video presents a three-step process for testing a business idea without significant investment of time, energy, or money.
• 🛠️ The process is applicable even before the product or service is fully developed, allowing for early feedback and improvement of the idea.
• 🔔 Subscribing to the channel and turning on notifications is recommended for viewers interested in business growth strategies.
• 🌐 Step one involves creating a simple website to bring the business idea to life using website builders like Wix or Squarespace.
• 🎭 The website should be designed as if the business is fully operational, with call-to-action buttons leading to a page indicating the product's unavailability but offering an email sign-up for updates.
• 🤔 The purpose of the website is to gauge genuine reactions and refine the communication of the business idea to potential customers.
• 📝 Step two focuses on gathering early reactions to improve messaging, which involves refining the website based on feedback from family, friends, and potential customers.
• 🗣️ Techniques from 'Sprint' by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky are suggested for conducting one-on-one interviews to gather genuine reactions without guiding the respondents.
• 📈 Step three is about testing the business idea with real customers using paid marketing channels like Facebook or Google ads to attract potential customers.
• 📊 Key metrics to track in step three include ad views, clicks, website visits, time spent on the site, and call-to-action button clicks.
• 🔄 The process encourages iterative improvement, with the potential to pivot the product or service based on the feedback and traction received.
• 📈 The video emphasizes the importance of early marketing and customer feedback in reducing risk and improving the chances of business success.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to explain a simple three-step process for testing a business idea with real-world customers without spending a lot of time, energy, or money.

What is the first step in the three-step process?

The first step is to bring your idea to life with a simple website using tools like Wix or Squarespace. The website should portray the idea as if it already exists, even though the product or service is not yet available.

Why is it important to create a simple marketing website?

Creating a simple marketing website is important because it allows you to get genuine reactions from people, iterate and improve upon your idea, and enhance your ability to communicate your idea with potential customers, all without having to fully build out the product or service.

What should you do if a customer clicks on a call-to-action button on the website?

If a customer clicks on a call-to-action button on the website, they should be taken to another page that explains the product or service is not currently available and offers a form for them to enter their email address to be notified when it becomes available.

What is the second step in the three-step process?

The second step is to gather early reactions to improve your messaging. This involves showing the website to family, friends, and early potential customers to get their genuine feedback and refine how you communicate your idea.

What is the goal of the casual one-on-one interviews mentioned in step two?

The goal of the casual one-on-one interviews is to understand how well people understand the website and identify any points of confusion. This helps improve both the website's messaging and the product idea itself.

What book is recommended for gathering early reactions and building prototypes?

The book 'Sprint' by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky is recommended for gathering early reactions and building prototypes.

What is the third step in the three-step process?

The third step is to test your business idea with real customers. This involves using simple marketing channels like Facebook or Google ads to attract potential customers to the website and track their interactions.

What metrics should you track in step three?

In step three, you should track metrics such as the number of people who view your ad, click your ad, visit the website, how long they spend on the website, and how many people click the call-to-action buttons.

What should you do if you don't get a lot of early traction from real customers?

If you don't get a lot of early traction, it indicates that you might need to adjust your product or service, learn more about potential customer interests, and pivot your idea to better serve the target audience.