How to validate a startup idea with ruthless efficiency

1. Write down the problem you want to solve. One or two paragraphs—not much more. No talk of solutions yet.

2. Make a spreadsheet of everyone you can get in contact with that fits your target market.

3. Email all of them. Ask two things.

   1. “Have you ever had this problem?” The more concrete detail in their answer, the better the signal.

   2. “Do you know anyone else who might have had this problem, too?” Feed new referrals back into this step.

4. Set up live interviews with anyone who answered positively to (3a).

   1. Ask questions to get as much detail from their experience as you can.

   2. Use everything you learn here to improve the problem statement you wrote in (1).

5. Make a list of channels where you think your target market hangs out.

6. Run content marketing in each of those channels

   1. Share your problem statement

   2. Share any detail you learned from (3) and (4)

7. Reach out to everyone who engages with your content and do (4) with them

8. Throw up a basic landing page for your problem/solution

   1. All you need is a tagline (the problem you solve); subtagline (brief description of the solution); and a small teaser of the product

   2. For the call-to-action, have people enter their email to join the waitlist for product launch.

9. Email everyone who responded in (8b)

   1. Confirm they have the problem you solve

   2. Ask if they need to solve it within the next 1-2 quarters

   3. Ask if they have budget to solve it

   4. Ask if they have decision making power

Three green ticks on the final three questions = winner