Read on TwitterThe best way is by putting up a pre-order landing page and start charging from day 0.
But how?
Here are 9 tips to nail a pre-order campaign.
This sounds obvious, but it’s really important.
Create a short proof-of-concept to see if the idea you’re trying to build is actually feasible.
It would be tragic to need to refund all your users because you can’t actually deliver.
Your LP needs to be compelling.
Speak about benefits, not features (unless your audience is tech-savvy and well-aware of the benefits).
Include visuals: mockups, illustrations, anything reinforcing your value prop.
Why would they pre-order if it& #39;s safer to just wait for the actual product?
So offer a discount they can& #39;t refuse.
For example, if you plan to charge $20/mo ($240/year) after launch, ask for $120 and a yearly commitment.
What?! Uhm...the more users, the better?!
Nope. Limit the seats to say 20-30 users, and the deadline to 2 weeks, for these reasons:
- limits money lost on refunds
- creates a sense of scarcity & urgency
- you& #39;ll want to talk to all of them
Link your Twitter profile, website, company info, etc. on your LP.
The goal is to assure them that you aren& #39;t gonna go away with their money. Your reputation is on the line.
Ask your friends for testimonials about your past projects.
Once you& #39;re live, you need to drive prospects to your site.
Here are a couple of fast ways to do that:
- announce it on Twitter, LinkedIn
- post in relevant subreddits
- post in forums (like @IndieHackers, HackerNews), FB groups
- run ads
Invite all of them to customer interviews. They literally gave their credit cards, so most of them will gladly talk to you.
To learn how to get the most out of these interviews, read @mjwhansen& #39;s excellent book @DeployEmpathy.
Building your app in public is one of the best things you can do.
It allows you to:
- share your progress
- ask for feedback
- generate buzz
Use Twitter as your primary channel, repurpose some content and share it on IndieHackers, if you have time.
Even if you nail all these things, some customers might still be unhappy.
You launched too late, it& #39;s not the app they wanted, too many bugs, etc.
Refunds cost you because of the extra charge the bank applies, so be sure to account for it.
And there you have it!
This is literally what I& #39;m planning to do with my next idea(s).
I hope you found these tips useful. Be sure to comment if you have extra tips.
Oh, and share this thread so more people could see it. I& #39;d appreciate it!
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Thanks!
This is literally what I& #39;m planning to do with my next idea(s).
I hope you found these tips useful. Be sure to comment if you have extra tips.
Oh, and share this thread so more people could see it. I& #39;d appreciate it!
Thanks!
