Ask HN: How do you validate your startup ideas?

[mopatches]

Hey guys – how do you validate your ideas beyond family and friends? Do AdWords+LaunchRock and MTurk work? Is there a better way?

[callmeed]

I'm not a fan of LaunchRock and similar services. If you want to gather email leads just put a MailChimp form on a free heroku instance.

Here's what I am a fan of:

1. Step back and think about your idea real quick. Where did it come from? Is it a blue-sky "you know what might be neat" idea, or a "this is a pain in my (or someone's) a and I'm gonna fix it" idea? If its not the latter, you might reconsider.

2. Build a MVP or some mock-ups. Spend a couple days max.

3. Grab a pen and notebook, get up from your desk, go outside and talk to people who may have the problem you're trying to solve. MAKE NO ASSUMPTIONS. Say "I have this idea and I'd love you're feedback but most of all I'd like to know what your biggest issues are."

4. Craigslist is surprisingly effective in finding people that can give feedback.

5. Use ifttt to alert you when people post Craigslist gigs related to your idea.

[jsmartonly]

Hi callmeed, which section/column in Craigslist should I ask feedback?

[hglaser]

There's no substitute for getting out there and selling to your target market, even if you only have a quick prototype.

AdWords + Launchrock can be a helpful baseline filter in established markets. But it won't tell you if you'd be successful in creating a new market.

I'm personally skeptical of surveys. There doesn't seem to be much correlation between what people say they'll do and what they actually do.

[andrewhillman]

Validation methods vary and depend on what you're doing. I am big into quick prototypes and going to market and seeing what happens. You'd be surprised how fast things get shared via facebook. Tell us more and I am sure we can riff off a few ways to validate.

[jsmartonly]

I had the same question, which was answered by reading the following book:

The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

written by Eric Ries

[tomblomfield]

It depends what you're trying to validate. Read Lean Startup!

AdWords + LaunchRock might work, but it's become a bit over-used. And it only works for products that people Google..

[krsgoss]

I'd also suggest Ash Maurya's Running Lean book. It covers how to implement Lean Startup principles for a product idea in detail.

[mopatches]

micrypt over in the HN IRC channel mentioned using Kickstarter, has anyone had success with that?