Sell Before Building • Hacker News Board

Re: Sell Before Building

#11

Post by adamtaylor_13 » Thu, May 30, 2024, 7:49 PM UTC

chrisjj wrote: post #9

adamtaylor_13 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Curious what makes it clickbait though, I just read it and it seems like genuinely good advice when most products fail due to lack of marketing / sales rather than lack of technical know-how?

Was "Content fails to accord" really unclear? > marketing / sales Marketing != sales. The accurate title "Do marketing before build" would have got more "well obviously" than clicks.

If you actually think marketing before building is "common sense", then congrats—you've got more than most. But it's something most people don't learn without a walk down the path of hard knocks.

But more to the point; selling isn't marketing, you are correct. However, at a certain level these 2 activities are nigh-on inseparable and benefit from having a coordinated approach. Regardless of where you draw that line most business owners (especially SMB) suck at marketing AND selling.

Re: Sell Before Building

#12

Post by chrisjj » Thu, May 30, 2024, 8:34 PM UTC

jhaynes247 wrote: post #10

chrisjj wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Was "Content fails to accord" really unclear? > marketing / sales Marketing != sales. The accurate title "Do marketing before build" would have got more "well obviously" than clicks.

You may not be meaning to, but saying the "Content fails to accord" is pedantic and does not clearly explain what you find unsatisfactory about the article. Because it seems like you're missing the point, Chris. It isn't just about marketing or pre-selling (although that is vital for any profitable product). It is about ensuring that if you are building something, you have open channels of feedback to who your ideal…

> Because it seems like you're missing the point, Chris.

No. I'm just not interested in your point.

If your article had been about Sell Before Building as per the HN title, I would have been.

But it isn't. Its just yet another article about market research before building.

My point was that the title and contect fail to accord. If you really do think that needs explanation, then you've misjudged the target audience's IQ.

Re: Sell Before Building

#13

Post by jhaynes247 » Thu, May 30, 2024, 9:24 PM UTC

chrisjj wrote: post #12

jhaynes247 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You may not be meaning to, but saying the "Content fails to accord" is pedantic and does not clearly explain what you find unsatisfactory about the article. Because it seems like you're missing the point, Chris. It isn't just about marketing or pre-selling (although that is vital for any profitable product). It is about ensuring that if you are building something, you have open channels of feedback to who your ideal…

> Because it seems like you're missing the point, Chris. No. I'm just not interested in your point. If your article had been about Sell Before Building as per the HN title, I would have been. But it isn't. Its just yet another article about market research before building. My point was that the title and contect fail to accord. If you really do think that needs explanation, then you've misjudged the target audience's…

If you follow the framework and, through the interview, they confirm they are your ICP and have the exact problem you are building to solve, they will be highly likely to convert to a customer.

From that point, if you follow the closing questions, you will gain them as a customer. That is the ultimate goal and the entire point of the post.

It's such a natural problem-solution, low-pressure offer that you don't even have to be a sales wiz.

It is even better to do this pre-launch to have paying customers ready to go when you launch, increasing your product's "speed to market" (which is where many technical founders end up in limbo).