If you’re thinking about building a product, consider building an audience first. Previously, I wrote about how, whenever we have an idea, we tend to dive in and start coding immediately. I vividly remember this from our first startup, where we focused on building “yet another killer feature,” which led us nowhere. We had to shift our mentality. The best approach is to reverse engineer the process, meaning: audience, audience, audience!
What are some MVPs you can start right away without writing a single line of code? These include:
1. Startup Newsletter
One of the best MVPs is starting a startup newsletter. Many founders start their newsletters long before they launch their product. The newsletter can include:
- Your progress with the startup
- Updates—any wins you have!
- The good, the bad, and the ugly—this is also known as building in public.
- Any asks from your subscribers, such as fundraising, finding a co-founder, talent, or other needs.
The best thing you can do is create a pre-launch landing page and start collecting email addresses. Some famous startups, including Product Hunt and FoundersBeta, started as simple newsletters. The beauty of a newsletter is that you can quickly learn what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t. You want to serve your audience better! If you’re looking for inspiration on which startup newsletters to read, check out this post I wrote a while back on Top Newsletters for Founders.
One last important thing about newsletters: You own your audience. You’re not at the mercy of platforms or algorithms, as many content creators are. Too often, creators wake up to find themselves banned, and their entire business is gone!
2. Blogging
Blogging can feel overwhelming at first, which is why I’m more of a fan of newsletters. The format is simpler, and you can have fun without feeling overwhelmed, as many people give up too easily.
3. Slack Channels
Starting a Slack channel is also a great option for building your audience. It’s a good way to share your product roadmap, updates, and challenges with your community. However, you also need to provide consistent value to your channel through great content!
4. Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are another good idea. Make sure you keep the group private and apply filters when people join. If you don’t filter your community, you risk attracting bad apples, which can ultimately cause your community to die out. You can check out the FoundersBeta Facebook group here.
5. YouTube or TikTok
Videos are rapidly on the rise! It’s a good idea to jump on this bandwagon. The famous indie hacker Levelsio mentioned that if he wanted to validate a startup idea, he would start a TikTok channel. I would also recommend TikTok, as it offers better reach for newcomers!
Are you launching a new startup? I would love to hear about it!