Validating idea

[Panda__]

Hi everyone!

I have an idea that I’m not sure what the right next steps would be.

background: I’ve posted the following question on several FB groups to get feedback:

Tell me your experience how you navigated challenges around lactation and milk production(tips/tricks/information) to help you in your journey? I’m also curious for those who are in or have gone through paths postpartum period. How was that experience? Did you have help or anywhere you could go to for information or support?

Business

• One-stop shop (online) for all things lactation and postpartum (e.g. food52.com)
• Consolidated and accurate resources, virtual consultations with lactation consultants and feeding therapists, marketplace(partner with other brands and sell their products on our platform, ie breastpump)
• Stage - ideation
• Need immediate help taking things to the next stage
  • Landing page, signup coming soon? Drive traffic to this page
  • Detailing a video on the page, short snippet explaining what this platform?
  • Post short survey in FB groups to validate idea?
    
    

 

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[woken]

I think I need to specify I’m not a lady nor do I have kids.

Most information is online. If not, there’s forums. Lots of people just ask their parents if they do have them around.


One such shop for kids & parents in the UK was Mothercare. They closed 70+ stores after 6 decades in business and went into administration because, I believe, they couldn’t compete with online prices anymore.

Nowadays lots of people do this :

- Get info from an authoritative source telling them X product is good. ( ie. Mothercare)

- Look for the product online for a cheaper price.

Not all people do that, but you get my point.

Consolidated and accurate resources,

This can be done. It will just take time.

virtual consultations with lactation consultants and feeding therapists, marketplace

this bit here is expensive and should be implemented later on.



Showing interest in something does not necessarily mean validation.
In my opinion, purchases = validation.


Isn’t there a product you can improve or make better in this niche and then build a business around that?

 

[Andy Black]

I’ve posted the following question on several FB groups to get feedback:

Tell me your experience how you navigated challenges around lactation and milk production(tips/tricks/information) to help you in your journey? I’m also curious for those who are in or have gone through paths postpartum period. How was that experience? Did you have help or anywhere you could go to for information or support?

What responses did you get?

purchases = validation

^^^ This.

We're in business when we help people, and get paid.

Step 1: Help people.
Step 2: Get paid.

Were you able to help people in those Facebook groups?

Business

• One-stop shop (online) for all things lactation and postpartum (e.g. food52.com)
• Consolidated and accurate resources, virtual consultations with lactation consultants and feeding therapists, marketplace(partner with other brands and sell their products on our platform, ie breastpump)
• Stage - ideation
• Need immediate help taking things to the next stage
  • Landing page, signup coming soon? Drive traffic to this page
  • Detailing a video on the page, short snippet explaining what this platform?
  • Post short survey in FB groups to validate idea?

Tip: Remove the word "traffic" from your vocabulary.

Also, beware "building stuff".

I suggest getting into 1-2-1 conversations with the people you're trying to help.

If you're on Facebook, then I imagine it would work best as:

1. Reply publicly to posts and help people there and then (no pitching, and no saying you're an expert - show, don't tell).
2. Keep replying publicly. Help people, and be seen to help people.
3. Let people PM you if they want more info. Don't just ask them to PM you.
4. If it makes sense, go to Zoom/Skype.

Welcome the high friction of doing things that don't scale.

These threads might help:

• Who have you helped?
• How to use forums (and Facebook groups)
• Just start already
• Andy's Inbound/Sales Braindump

A blog post on my new site might help too (forgive the formatting... I'll simplify it later!):

• Meh to "Content Marketing"