Please do not do this
The $20 Starbucks Test
51–60 of 68 posts
Re: The $20 Starbucks Test
#52This is bollocks. I usually tell people what I'm working on, during casual conversation. I then ask them if they'd use it. I don't need false pretenses. I just need to know the likelihood a person, given experience A, would take action B. And I make it interesting for them.
Re: The $20 Starbucks Test
#53While well intentioned, I sorta think this idea sucks. Maybe it's just me, but random strangers with business ideas approaching me in public would immediately lead me to think "Amway scam" or "clueless businessperson". I wonder what sorts of people would self-select themselves into accepting this offer? Also, most people who have tried to launch a product know that random input from people who are NOT your target use…
They'd be halfway through the first line when I say, "Sorry, not interested. I won't give you any money."
I'm a nice guy, but this approach has scam sob-story written all over it. I don't deal with scammers, and I'd prefer not to be seen as one.
Re: The $20 Starbucks Test
#54I think I'd be uncomfortable with this not because of approaching random strangers but rather approaching them with false pretenses. You're essentially fooling people into listening to your ill-formed business plan by lying to their face about non-existant siblings in non-existant danger. Whatever happened to being honest with people? "Hi. Can I buy you a cup of coffee in exchange for some feedback? Five minutes is a…
yock, I was happy to see your comment the first one in this thread.
The deceptive approach seems awful in every way.
Not only is this person asking for honest feedback from a stranger, he cannot even be honest with that person at their first meeting.
How does this business approach scale to when you have to talk to potential customers? What clever-ass story will you trick them with then?
"how's that working out for you? being clever?"
Re: The $20 Starbucks Test
#55I think I'd be uncomfortable with this not because of approaching random strangers but rather approaching them with false pretenses. You're essentially fooling people into listening to your ill-formed business plan by lying to their face about non-existant siblings in non-existant danger. Whatever happened to being honest with people? "Hi. Can I buy you a cup of coffee in exchange for some feedback? Five minutes is a…
I think even complete strangers will be predisposed to give you positive feedback if they know it's your idea. If they think it's somebody else's idea, and you're priming them to think negatively about it, then you'll be more likely to get the negative opinions you were looking for. Obviously I'm not addressing the morality of it, just the effectiveness.
[deleted]
Re: The $20 Starbucks Test
#56Wow, a lot of sensitive people here (and in saying so I expect my comment to be downvoted into Hades). Like I mean, come on, he's just demonstrating a way he got new insights into his product. I think it's a great idea. Take it with a grain of salt.
> he's just demonstrating a way he got new insights into his product.
By being dishonest. Being offended by that is not being sensitive, it's being normal. It's not at all a great idea; it takes advantage of other peoples emotions with lies. You'd have to be kind of sociopathic to not realize that isn't cool or acceptable to most people.
Re: The $20 Starbucks Test
#57Ahhh, the joys of working in silicon valley where it can be assumed that every individual in Starbucks is going to comprehend you "brother's" start-up idea. Also, if I tried this method in my local Starbucks, I'd end up interviewing people just looking for a complimentary cup of coffee. Kind of reminds me of the Encyclopedia Britannica "get a free thesaurus" promo where you'd sit through an hour long sales pitch just…
If I tried this at a local Starbucks, I'd be interrupting college girls trying to do their homework. Hmm, maybe it would be a good way to ask them out on a date... oh, until they find out I don't have an entrepenurial brother. Then I'd just look like a creep.
Re: The $20 Starbucks Test
#58I personally feel the approach recommended here is unethical. However striking up conversations with random people does have other (different) benefits;
1/ The act of regularly practicing your pitch helps you find holes in the idea - often indirectly. Sometimes people say something off-topic that can make you think "damn - I should have considered that"
2/ Due to the "Faster Horse" effect you're unlikely to get decent product insights - especially with some types of consumer products. However, what you can do is get very useful insights into the person's pain points: "Why are they too busy for a competitors product?"; "Does the fact they have family abroad suggest previously unconsidered business models?" etc
3/ It helps you become more confident - provided you don't lie. Presumably if you end up only being confident when you lie then before you know what happened you'll become a scam artist!
Re: The $20 Starbucks Test
#59This is a similar strategy I used the other night when I asked my strangers to help fill out a survey. Here's one in a google doc form if anyone wants to help figure out a good reason to choose one domain over the other. https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=d...
There really is no contest between those two domains, IMHO ;)
Re: The $20 Starbucks Test
#60Wow, a lot of sensitive people here (and in saying so I expect my comment to be downvoted into Hades). Like I mean, come on, he's just demonstrating a way he got new insights into his product. I think it's a great idea. Take it with a grain of salt.
> he's just demonstrating a way he got new insights into his product. By being dishonest. Being offended by that is not being sensitive, it's being normal. It's not at all a great idea; it takes advantage of other peoples emotions with lies. You'd have to be kind of sociopathic to not realize that isn't cool or acceptable to most people.
I think you missed the crux of the article. The article is not about manipulating emotions with lies, it's about getting different opinions and perspectives on your product.
His method was a little crass, but I'll bet he wrote it with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.