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You don't need to launch this to get feedback. I would cold email five people who you think will find it useful. Ask them if they have this problem you're try

You don't need to launch this to get feedback. I would cold email five people who you think will find it useful. Ask them if they have this problem you're trying to solve. Ask if they currently use something to solve that problem. Ask them for their feedback and if they'd be willing to pay for this service. You can find emails pretty easily by using any of the following tools: saleshacker, voilanorbert, toofr, curtact, or http://emailhunter.co http://emailhunter.co If you can't get people in your target market with this painpoint to answer your email, you will have a hard time finding your first customers.

drewrv 11y ago
Do you really find cold emails effective? Personally, whenever I get a cold email I make a note of the company name and vow to never purchase a service from them.
- fucsia 11y ago
  I found them very effective. But I don't ask people to pay, I ask for feedback. If the software is good, they'll want to use it anyway! People are willing to help if you are equally open about what the software can and cannot do. I implemented several features straight out of what people said they wanted through email, and the product was noticeably better for it. I've also had people not respond at all or react strangely.
- SyneRyder 11y ago
  Someone on HN sent me a cold email recently asking me to help beta test their web app. They'd found me via a comment where I'd mentioned using a competitor's app, and wanted my opinion / feedback on their own app. What they did right is that the first email wasn't a sales pitch, just asking for feedback / opinions / bug reports. What didn't go well is that they seemed rather defensive about my negative feedback. If you do get negative feedback, remember it might be specific to that person's situation - the same app might be perfect for someone else, and you can use the feedback to identify who is & isn't your target market.

drewrv 11y ago

Do you really find cold emails effective? Personally, whenever I get a cold email I make a note of the company name and vow to never purchase a service from them.

fucsia 11y ago
I found them very effective. But I don't ask people to pay, I ask for feedback. If the software is good, they'll want to use it anyway! People are willing to help if you are equally open about what the software can and cannot do. I implemented several features straight out of what people said they wanted through email, and the product was noticeably better for it. I've also had people not respond at all or react strangely.
SyneRyder 11y ago
Someone on HN sent me a cold email recently asking me to help beta test their web app. They'd found me via a comment where I'd mentioned using a competitor's app, and wanted my opinion / feedback on their own app. What they did right is that the first email wasn't a sales pitch, just asking for feedback / opinions / bug reports. What didn't go well is that they seemed rather defensive about my negative feedback. If you do get negative feedback, remember it might be specific to that person's situation - the same app might be perfect for someone else, and you can use the feedback to identify who is & isn't your target market.