New Resource Emerges for Publicly Testing Startup Growth Tactics
The Online Business Lab is running and publishing the results of continuous experiments on startup growth and outreach tactics. The operator reports testing various strategies, including community immersion and direct messaging, and provides templates and breakdowns of both successes and failures. This resource acts as a living playbook for founders seeking to validate MVPs and find early adopters.
- To identify early adopters, seek out users who are already trying to solve the problem you're addressing, often by using makeshift solutions or stringing together different tools; these individuals are more likely to provide insightful feedback and are less price-sensitive. - A common tactic for finding your first users is to engage in relevant online communities like Reddit, LinkedIn or Facebook groups, and industry-specific forums where your target audience congregates. Instead of directly pitching your product, focus on adding value to conversations and building relationships to organically introduce your solution. - For cold outreach, YC Group Partner Aaron Epstein advises writing each email as if it's for one specific person, personalizing it to their context, and keeping it short enough to be easily read and responded to on a phone. Following up multiple times is crucial, as the first email is often missed. - YC Partner Gustaf Alströmer recommends structuring user interviews around their past experiences by asking questions like, "Tell me about the last time you experienced [the problem]," to understand their actual behavior rather than hypothetical future actions. Avoid asking leading questions such as "Would you use our product?" as this can elicit biased responses. - Instead of aiming for a specific number of user interviews before building, "The Mom Test" framework suggests you should continue interviewing until you can predict what the user is going to say, which indicates you've identified consistent patterns in their problems and needs. - To create a consistent pipeline of user conversations, adopt a "continuous discovery" habit by scheduling a set number of user interviews every week, ensuring a constant flow of feedback into your product development process. This approach helps to systematically de-risk product decisions on an ongoing basis. - Early adopters are often willing to engage with a startup even before a product is built, especially if they feel their feedback is genuinely influencing the product's direction. Don't let the absence of a polished MVP prevent you from starting conversations and building a community around your solution. - YC General Partner Ankit Gupta suggests that the goal of engaging with early users is not primarily revenue but sharp feedback, which paying customers are more likely to provide than free users. He advises charging real money early on to attract users with a burning need for your solution.
