Boots on the ground. Before the product was finished being built we had interviewed dozens of potential customers, etc. Don't be afraid to walk up to strangers

Boots on the ground. Before the product was finished being built we had interviewed dozens of potential customers, etc. Don't be afraid to walk up to strangers and at the end of an interview, ask someone who they think would be helpful person to contact. The latter trick starts to point you toward more influential / bigger players. We had a check before the alpha version was done.