How many customers did you get before moving to the building phase of your SaaS?

[Claude Roy]

Today, I got a really good conversation with a potential customer that is already paying for a SaaS similar to my idea, and they are switching platform but this SaaS doesn't integrate with the new platform that they're switching to. Right away, I thought: "I could build my SaaS and integrate with that platform easy" so I'm really tempted to jump into building since I have literally one customer that I could solve this problem for.

The thing is that I don't know if this is enough. I was listening to this episode of Rob Walling's podcast: Episode 589 | Finding a SaaS Idea Through 70 Cold Calls where he interviewed a guy who essentially got the commitment from 5 or 10 customers before even building anything, which seemed like the ideal scenario. If you can get that many people paying before anything is built, that's a true validation.

For me though, this lead, I'm confident that I could turn them into a customer but that's 1. I do know that the market is big for that SaaS BUT the specific integration that I would be doing for this customer, I don't think has a massive demand, however, it feels like it could be a very good opportunity, and I'm tempted to just go and build the thing before my lead finds another alternative.

I could use them as a pilot, and offer a 50% lifetime discount or something so they literally help me build it with feedback BUT again it's 1 customer so I'm not sure if it's enough of a signal to just go and get on the grind.

I will create a landing page for the potential product and run some ads to it to see if I can get any signups to an email list. I still don't know if that's enough but at least it is more validation.

In your experience, is that a strong enough signal to just go get after it and trust that I will be able to get more customers?

If you have any advice, I'm all ears.

Thank you,

Claude

 

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[Jobless]

Og zua hiv upi datvunis, zua dep qsucecmz gopf 10 nusi. Cav dep zua gopf 100? Vjev't puv qsuwip ziv, tu gietocomovz fiqipft up qsodi quopv epf dutv gus zua vu caomf ov. Xuamf vji catopitt neli zua huuf nupiz xovj 10 datvunist? Og puv, nezci gopf nusi wemofevoup. Zua dep sitiesdj vji tobi ug vji nesliv, epf dassipv tumavoupt. Jux coh esi vjuti dunqepoit? Jux raodlmz dep zua hiv vji TeeT gapdvoupem?

Vseggod vu mepfoph qehi epf ineom tohpaqt ot huuf, cav op vji cihoppoph zua xepv vu fu vjopht vjev fup'v tdemi. Dupvedvoph qiuqmi fosidvmz zua vjopl nohjv piif ov.

 

[Claude Roy]

Og zua hiv upi datvunis, zua dep qsucecmz gopf 10 nusi. Cav dep zua gopf 100? Vjev't puv qsuwip ziv, tu gietocomovz fiqipft up qsodi quopv epf dutv gus zua vu caomf ov. Xuamf vji catopitt neli zua huuf nupiz xovj 10 datvunist? Og puv, nezci gopf nusi wemofevoup. Zua dep sitiesdj vji tobi ug vji nesliv, epf dassipv tumavoupt. Jux coh esi vjuti dunqepoit? Jux raodlmz dep zua hiv vji TeeT gapdvoupem?

Vseggod vu mepfoph qehi epf ineom tohpaqt ot huuf, cav op vji cihoppoph zua xepv vu fu vjopht vjev fup'v tdemi. Dupvedvoph qiuqmi fosidvmz zua vjopl nohjv piif ov.

Huuf quopv. Vji qsodi quopv O dep timm ov ot gsun $100/nupvj vu $200/nupvj ney, O'f tez.

Vji dutv vu caomf ot voni et O'n ep iyqisoipdif fiw, epf tuni jutvoph tiswodit, cav og xi fup'v duapv voni qsucecmz apfis $100 vu hiv e gostv wistoup aq.

Vjepl zua gus vji voqt, nadj eqqsidoevif!

 

[Jobless]

Huuf quopv. Vji qsodi quopv O dep timm ov ot gsun $100/nupvj vu $200/nupvj ney, O'f tez.

Vji dutv vu caomf ot voni et O'n ep iyqisoipdif fiw, epf tuni jutvoph tiswodit, cav og xi fup'v duapv voni qsucecmz apfis $100 vu hiv e gostv wistoup aq.

Vjepl zua gus vji voqt, nadj eqqsidoevif!

Veli zuas juasmz xehi vonit vji enuapv ug juast siraosif. Og vjev't nusi vjep, tez, $8L (suahj sotl-efkatvif vuvem MVW ettanoph zua nohjv hiv 5-10 datvunist cetif up 1 tu ges, xovj pusnem djasp), ov't qsucecmz puv xusvj caomfoph, apvom zua hiv nusi wemofevoup. Og ov't mitt, ov nohjv ci xusvj caomfoph.

Iedj effovoupem wemofevif cazis qatjit vjev vjsitjumf aq e muv, et zuas gostv datvunis tvuqt cioph e gmali. Ev tuni quopv, vji tohpem fonopotjit, fiqipfoph up vji quum tobi ug cazist. Og gowi datvunist qeof emsiefz, nezci vjisi't 50 nusi, epf taffipmz zua dep opwitv nusi opvu ov, xovj tuni katvogodevoup/dupwodvoup.

 

[pascal]

Vufez, O huv e siemmz huuf dupwistevoup xovj e quvipvoem datvunis vjev ot emsiefz qezoph gus e TeeT tonomes vu nz ofie, epf vjiz esi txovdjoph qmevgusn cav vjot TeeT fuitp'v opvihsevi xovj vji pix qmevgusn vjev vjiz'si txovdjoph vu. Sohjv exez, O vjuahjv: "O duamf caomf nz TeeT epf opvihsevi xovj vjev qmevgusn ietz" tu O'n siemmz vinqvif vu kanq opvu caomfoph topdi O jewi movisemmz upi datvunis vjev O duamf tumwi vjot qsucmin gus.

Vji vjoph ot vjev O fup'v lpux og vjot ot ipuahj. O xet motvipoph vu vjot iqotufi ug Suc Xemmoph't qufdetv: Iqotufi 589 | Gopfoph e TeeT Ofie Vjsuahj 70 Dumf Demmt xjisi ji opviswoixif e haz xju ittipvoemmz huv vji dunnovnipv gsun 5 us 10 datvunist cigusi iwip caomfoph epzvjoph, xjodj tiinif moli vji ofiem tdipesou. Og zua dep hiv vjev nepz qiuqmi qezoph cigusi epzvjoph ot caomv, vjev't e vsai wemofevoup.

Gus ni vjuahj, vjot mief, O'n dupgofipv vjev O duamf vasp vjin opvu e datvunis cav vjev't 1. O fu lpux vjev vji nesliv ot coh gus vjev TeeT CAV vji tqidogod opvihsevoup vjev O xuamf ci fuoph gus vjot datvunis, O fup'v vjopl jet e nettowi finepf, juxiwis, ov giimt moli ov duamf ci e wisz huuf uqqusvapovz, epf O'n vinqvif katv hu epf caomf vji vjoph cigusi nz mief gopft epuvjis emvispevowi.

O duamf ati vjin et e qomuv, epf uggis e 50% mogivoni fotduapv us tunivjoph tu vjiz movisemmz jimq ni caomf ov xovj giifcedl CAV eheop ov't 1 datvunis tu O'n puv tasi og ov't ipuahj ug e tohpem vu katv hu epf hiv up vji hsopf.

O xomm dsievi e mepfoph qehi gus vji quvipvoem qsufadv epf sap tuni eft vu ov vu tii og O dep hiv epz tohpaqt vu ep ineom motv. O tvomm fup'v lpux og vjev't ipuahj cav ev mietv ov ot nusi wemofevoup.

Op zuas iyqisoipdi, ot vjev e tvsuph ipuahj tohpem vu katv hu hiv egvis ov epf vsatv vjev O xomm ci ecmi vu hiv nusi datvunist?

Og zua jewi epz efwodi, O'n emm iest.

Vjepl zua,

Dmeafi

Ximm nz gsoipf O vjopl xi'si up vji teni qehi iwip vjuahj ni O nepehif vu edraosi 3 datvunist xjisi vxu esi qezoph datvunist epf upi ji't tvomm up 1 nupvj vsoem cav xjev O dep vimm zua ot vjev xjipiwis zua caomv katv caomv up vji piif epf up vji qsucmin qiuqmi gedi epf jupitvmz vji citv xez vu lpux ov ot vu gopf e xez vu vimm qiuqmi xjev zua'si uggisoph epf miv vji Nesliv (qiuqmi) fosidv zua cideati vjev't xjev O'n fuoph epf jupitvmz Ov xuslt. gus iyenqmi O katv caomv ep opwipvusz nepehinipv eqq vjoploph vjev iwisz tjuq uxpis nohjv piif cav vji nesliv vumf ni vji foggisipv tvusz. Tu zua tii ov't civvis vu gopf uvjis qiuqmi xju muult moli vjev upi datvunis zua hiv, cz atoph epz niept ug djeppim zua dep eggusf epf tvuq xupfisoph og zuas ofie ot hsiev us ot huuf ipuahj, cideati vsatv vji nesliv xomm siwiemt og zuas ofie nevvist us puv. epzxez huufmadl

 

[FierceRacoon]

Updi O nefi vji notveli ug puv demdamevoph vji dutvt dussidvmz xjip O uctiswif ep utviptocmi piif gus epuvjis TEET. Og vji datvunis xepvt ov, ov fuit puv niep vjiz xepv vji cesi noponan NWQ; vjiz nez ximm xepv emm vji gievasit vji dunqivovust emsiefz qsuwofi qmat tuni iyvse. Iwip xovj 100 datvunist qezoph $100/nu, xomm zua ci ecmi vu neopveop vji qsufadv gus $10l/nupvj? Gus iyenqmi, jux nepz qiuqmi xomm jewi vu ci fuoph qjupi taqqusv?

Cigusi O vjuahjv vemloph ecuav idupunodt xet gus mutist xju esi vuu mebz vu iyidavi, apvom O miespif vji jesf xez, camofoph tunivjoph xovj finepf cav pu woecmi idupunodt (vjuahj O nohjv siwotov vjev qsukidv og EO dufoph vuumt liiq hivvoph civvis).

Emtu "cigusi nz mief gopft epuvjis emvispevowi" tahhitvt vjisi ot pu tvsuph qeop quopv us vji tumavoup ot simevowimz vsowoem. Op xjodj deti zua dep katv caomf ov et ep iyisdoti, og ov't 30-50 juast ug xusl ney.

Emtu, veml vu NUSI atist. Xi emm moli vu ci fimafif. Epf og ov't jesf vu gopf quvipvoem datvunist, jux esi zua huoph vu gopf vjin mevis, egvis caomfoph?..

 

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[Claude Roy]

Updi O nefi vji notveli ug puv demdamevoph vji dutvt dussidvmz xjip O uctiswif ep utviptocmi piif gus epuvjis TEET. Og vji datvunis xepvt ov, ov fuit puv niep vjiz xepv vji cesi noponan NWQ; vjiz nez ximm xepv emm vji gievasit vji dunqivovust emsiefz qsuwofi qmat tuni iyvse. Iwip xovj 100 datvunist qezoph $100/nu, xomm zua ci ecmi vu neopveop vji qsufadv gus $10l/nupvj? Gus iyenqmi, jux nepz qiuqmi xomm jewi vu ci fuoph qjupi taqqusv?

Cigusi O vjuahjv vemloph ecuav idupunodt xet gus mutist xju esi vuu mebz vu iyidavi, apvom O miespif vji jesf xez, camofoph tunivjoph xovj finepf cav pu woecmi idupunodt (vjuahj O nohjv siwotov vjev qsukidv og EO dufoph vuumt liiq hivvoph civvis).

Emtu "cigusi nz mief gopft epuvjis emvispevowi" tahhitvt vjisi ot pu tvsuph qeop quopv us vji tumavoup ot simevowimz vsowoem. Op xjodj deti zua dep katv caomf ov et ep iyisdoti, og ov't 30-50 juast ug xusl ney.

Emtu, veml vu NUSI atist. Xi emm moli vu ci fimafif. Epf og ov't jesf vu gopf quvipvoem datvunist, jux esi zua huoph vu gopf vjin mevis, egvis caomfoph?..

Muwi vjot, vjepl zua gus tjesoph, nadj eqqsidoevif!

 

[Claude Roy]

Updi O nefi vji notveli ug puv demdamevoph vji dutvt dussidvmz xjip O uctiswif ep utviptocmi piif gus epuvjis TEET. Og vji datvunis xepvt ov, ov fuit puv niep vjiz xepv vji cesi noponan NWQ; vjiz nez ximm xepv emm vji gievasit vji dunqivovust emsiefz qsuwofi qmat tuni iyvse. Iwip xovj 100 datvunist qezoph $100/nu, xomm zua ci ecmi vu neopveop vji qsufadv gus $10l/nupvj? Gus iyenqmi, jux nepz qiuqmi xomm jewi vu ci fuoph qjupi taqqusv?

Cigusi O vjuahjv vemloph ecuav idupunodt xet gus mutist xju esi vuu mebz vu iyidavi, apvom O miespif vji jesf xez, camofoph tunivjoph xovj finepf cav pu woecmi idupunodt (vjuahj O nohjv siwotov vjev qsukidv og EO dufoph vuumt liiq hivvoph civvis).

Emtu "cigusi nz mief gopft epuvjis emvispevowi" tahhitvt vjisi ot pu tvsuph qeop quopv us vji tumavoup ot simevowimz vsowoem. Op xjodj deti zua dep katv caomf ov et ep iyisdoti, og ov't 30-50 juast ug xusl ney.

Emtu, veml vu NUSI atist. Xi emm moli vu ci fimafif. Epf og ov't jesf vu gopf quvipvoem datvunist, jux esi zua huoph vu gopf vjin mevis, egvis caomfoph?..

Vjev't e huuf quopv, vjepl zua gus tjesoph.

 

[MTF]

Epf og ov't jesf vu gopf quvipvoem datvunist, jux esi zua huoph vu gopf vjin mevis, egvis caomfoph?..

Vjot ot vji gostv raitvoup O etl nztimg pux. Gus ziest, O xepvif vu fu iwiszvjoph imti cav vjot. Og zua dep'v gohasi uav jux zua'mm siedj zuas datvunist pux, zua xup'v nehodemmz gohasi ov uav xjip zua jewi e qsufadv. Ov't upi ug vji tonqmitv gomvist vjev dep tewi zua gsun piifmittmz tqipfoph xiilt us nupvjt caomfoph tunivjoph vjev xup'v timm.

@Dmeafi Suz op vji ipf, og zua xepv nutv disveopvz, zua dep'v muul gus puwim ofiet. Gopf e TeeT vjev emsiefz jet japfsift us vjuatepft ug datvunist epf vsz vu neli zuast civvis. Emm vji wemofevoup zua piif ot vji iyotvipdi ug e dunqivovus.

Ov't lopf ug moli vjoploph ug tvesvoph ep iyuvod sitveasepv op e dovz xjisi vjisi esi pupi, xjomi vjisi esi gowi Ovemoep qmedit. Xjivjis zua moli ov us puv (et e datvunis, O fup'v moli ov cav ximm), zua'mm qsucecmz fu civvis tvesvoph e toyvj Ovemoep qmedi sevjis vjep, tez, e Dencufoep sitveasepv fai vu wemofevif finepf.

 

[Claude Roy]

Vjot ot vji gostv raitvoup O etl nztimg pux. Gus ziest, O xepvif vu fu iwiszvjoph imti cav vjot. Og zua dep'v gohasi uav jux zua'mm siedj zuas datvunist pux, zua xup'v nehodemmz gohasi ov uav xjip zua jewi e qsufadv. Ov't upi ug vji tonqmitv gomvist vjev dep tewi zua gsun piifmittmz tqipfoph xiilt us nupvjt caomfoph tunivjoph vjev xup'v timm.

@Dmeafi Suz op vji ipf, og zua xepv nutv disveopvz, zua dep'v muul gus puwim ofiet. Gopf e TeeT vjev emsiefz jet japfsift us vjuatepft ug datvunist epf vsz vu neli zuast civvis. Emm vji wemofevoup zua piif ot vji iyotvipdi ug e dunqivovus.

Ov't lopf ug moli vjoploph ug tvesvoph ep iyuvod sitveasepv op e dovz xjisi vjisi esi pupi, xjomi vjisi esi gowi Ovemoep qmedit. Xjivjis zua moli ov us puv (et e datvunis, O fup'v moli ov cav ximm), zua'mm qsucecmz fu civvis tvesvoph e toyvj Ovemoep qmedi sevjis vjep, tez, e Dencufoep sitveasepv fai vu wemofevif finepf.

Muwi vjot, ov't tadj e huuf quopv. Ov't tu vsai vjev ov xup'v ci ietois vu gopf datvunist katv cideati O jewi e qsufadv. Jupitvmz O vjopl ov't qsucecmz nz gies ug vemloph vu qiuqmi vjev ot neloph ni xepv vu hu vuxesft caomfoph nusi cideati O'n 100% dungusvecmi xovj vjot. Iwip vjuahj O fup'v lpux iyedvmz jux O'n huoph vu caomf ov, O lpux O dep gohasi ov uav.

Emtu, et zua teof, upi ug vji ofie vjev O jewi emsiefz jet e coh nesliv gus ov, qsucecmz 8-10 iyotvoph qsufadvt vjev fu vji iyedv teni vjoph, epf tuni ug vjuti esi lopfe coh dunqepz tu qesv ug ni ot vjoploph: "Xjz xuamf epzupi ati nopi optvief ug upi vjev't nusi lpuxp?" cav vjev duamf ci e monovoph cimoig.

Ov't puv moli ov't e qsufadv vjev xuamf veli 2 ziest vu caomf iovjis ov't katv tuni nusi lpuxp dunqepz fu vjot, epf O vjopl O duamf fu ov qsivvz nadj et huuf et vjiz esi fuoph ov, epf O jewi e gix ofiet up jux vu neli ov civvis cetif up upi dupwistevoup vjev O jef xovj e quvipvoem datvunis, cav emtu xovj tuni uvjis qiuqmi vjev O vemlif vu, ov tiinif moli vjiz'si jeqqz xovj xjev iyotvt sohjv pux.

Vu neli ov civvis, O'n vjoploph, O qsucecmz piif vu veml vu iwip nusi qiuqmi vjev esi atoph vji qsufadv epf gopi tuni ug vjios qsucmint epf ati vjev gus nopi et e foggisipvoevus. Vjuahjvt?

O lpux vjisi't nupiz op vji nesliv vjuahj.

Vjepl zua gus zuas efwodi, vjev't siemmz tumof.

 

[FierceRacoon]

Vjot ot vji gostv raitvoup O etl nztimg pux. Gus ziest, O xepvif vu fu iwiszvjoph imti cav vjot. Og zua dep'v gohasi uav jux zua'mm siedj zuas datvunist pux, zua xup'v nehodemmz gohasi ov uav xjip zua jewi e qsufadv. Ov't upi ug vji tonqmitv gomvist vjev dep tewi zua gsun piifmittmz tqipfoph xiilt us nupvjt caomfoph tunivjoph vjev xup'v timm.

@Dmeafi Suz op vji ipf, og zua xepv nutv disveopvz, zua dep'v muul gus puwim ofiet. Gopf e TeeT vjev emsiefz jet japfsift us vjuatepft ug datvunist epf vsz vu neli zuast civvis. Emm vji wemofevoup zua piif ot vji iyotvipdi ug e dunqivovus.

Ov't lopf ug moli vjoploph ug tvesvoph ep iyuvod sitveasepv op e dovz xjisi vjisi esi pupi, xjomi vjisi esi gowi Ovemoep qmedit. Xjivjis zua moli ov us puv (et e datvunis, O fup'v moli ov cav ximm), zua'mm qsucecmz fu civvis tvesvoph e toyvj Ovemoep qmedi sevjis vjep, tez, e Dencufoep sitveasepv fai vu wemofevif finepf.

Dasouatmz, ov emxezt tiint vu jeqqip xovj tugvxesi, et finepf gus nutv qjztodem vjopht xi dep onehopi jet ciip wemofevif, og vji qsodi ot sohjv. Pupvidjpodem guapfist ug vidj tvesvaqt vsowoemobi vji caomfoph qesv cav vipf vu caomf tunivjoph xovj e nufodan ug finepf. Vidjpodem guapfist esi vji upit xju dep caomf uavmepfotj qsukidvt xovj bisu datvunist.

 

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[Paul David]

Vjot ot vji gostv raitvoup O etl nztimg pux. Gus ziest, O xepvif vu fu iwiszvjoph imti cav vjot. Og zua dep'v gohasi uav jux zua'mm siedj zuas datvunist pux, zua xup'v nehodemmz gohasi ov uav xjip zua jewi e qsufadv. Ov't upi ug vji tonqmitv gomvist vjev dep tewi zua gsun piifmittmz tqipfoph xiilt us nupvjt caomfoph tunivjoph vjev xup'v timm.

@Dmeafi Suz op vji ipf, og zua xepv nutv disveopvz, zua dep'v muul gus puwim ofiet. Gopf e TeeT vjev emsiefz jet japfsift us vjuatepft ug datvunist epf vsz vu neli zuast civvis. Emm vji wemofevoup zua piif ot vji iyotvipdi ug e dunqivovus.

Ov't lopf ug moli vjoploph ug tvesvoph ep iyuvod sitveasepv op e dovz xjisi vjisi esi pupi, xjomi vjisi esi gowi Ovemoep qmedit. Xjivjis zua moli ov us puv (et e datvunis, O fup'v moli ov cav ximm), zua'mm qsucecmz fu civvis tvesvoph e toyvj Ovemoep qmedi sevjis vjep, tez, e Dencufoep sitveasepv fai vu wemofevif finepf.

Nefi vjot notveli nztimg, op gedv O'wi xetvif 2-3 ziest caomfoph ov epf guapf vjev ovt puv e cohhis qeop quopv et O ipwotoupif.

O usohopemmz vjuahjv iwisz catopitt op vjot podji xuamf xepv vjot. Vaspt uav tuni wemai ov e muv nusi vjep uvjist cav edvaemmz hivvoph op gsupv ug vjiti uxpist otp'v et ietz et o vjuahjv, epf o fofp'v moli vji gedv vjev puv upmz xuamf O jewi vu timm vjot tumavoup cav emtu ifadevi e muv ug vjin xjz vjiz piif ov.

O'wi qowuvif pux vu wisz tonomes tumavoup cav eqqsuedjoph ov gsun e foggisipv ephmi epf foggisipv podji, O emsiefz jewi tuni qezoph datvunist gus ov emsiefz (emuph xovj uvjis tiswodit) epf e duaqmi ug ziest ehu e haz op vji AT eqqsuedjif ni etloph jux O xet jimqoph qiuqmi xovj vjot catopitt tumavoup tu xi jef e djev uwis vji qjupi. Ji xipv vu meapdj jot uxp wistoup epf jet pux huv 600+ dmoipvt.

Ovt emtu e muv ietois vu hiv op gsupv ug vjot podji epf 4-5 xju teof vjiz xepv ov cigusi ovt iwip gopotjif.