Proof, product, promotion: (thread)

A simple framework for thinking about building and selling anything.

Picture three layers:

Promotion
Product
Proof

1/ The Base Layer: Proof

The first thing that matters is proving there's a need or desire for your thing.

"I know dentists get frustrated with process x."
"I know remote work is making people change y."
"I know I would've built my business differently if I knew z."

Now, most people jump straight into a resource heavy version of building "the thing" when there's more likely a way to get proof with much less risk.

For example, you could validate the demand for a software product by building a spreadsheet and running it manually.

@Gymshark is a great example of this, screenprint some vests and go where your people are. Trade shows, gyms, etc.

No need to build a huge amount of infrastructure before you know whether or not anyone cares enough to spend $.

2/ The Middle Layer: Product

When real proof is the catalyst for maturing the product, you eliminate a huge amount of risk.

For some reason 90% of people approach this backwards, throwing huge amounts of capital and energy behind things they don't know that anyone wants.

3/ The Top Layer: Promotion

If you have proof, you have a better product, and promotion is exponentially easier.

Satisfied customers, specific insights into the nuanced reasons people choose you over another product or service, all fuel for marketing that will resonate.

There are a million tactics to promote more effectively, all of which you can go buy a course on, but if you don't get the bottom two layers dialed in, you're wasting your time, your money, and your finite will to keep trying.

Prove it, iterate on it, promote it. Repeat.

If we can get this to 500 RT's I'll build a free training on all of the above.