Building something great is only half the battle. The other half? Making sure the right people are waiting for it before you even launch.
In a world where distribution is just as important as product, you can’t afford to wait for customers to show up. You need to build a demand engine before the customers exist—before revenue, before virality, even before product-market fit.
This isn’t magic. It’s smart sequencing. And here’s how to do it.
1. Identify a Real, Burning Problem
Before growth comes relevance. Without customers, your best shot is focusing on the problem, not the product.
- Talk to potential users. A lot.
- Join forums, groups, subreddits—wherever your niche gathers.
- Refine your narrative around the pain, not your features.
Demand starts when someone sees themselves in the problem you describe.
2. Start Publishing Before You’re Ready
If you wait to have something “official” to say, you’re already behind. Build in public and start shaping your future audience’s thinking.
- Share early insights, lessons, and experiments.
- Talk about the journey: what you’re learning, trying, and building.
- Create content that solves problems adjacent to your product.
You’re not selling. You’re becoming a trusted voice.
3. Create a Lightweight Lead Magnet
No need for a complex funnel—start simple:
- A one-page PDF cheat sheet
- A Notion template
- A mini-audit or tool
Distribute it for free in exchange for emails. It gives you two things:
- A growing list of interested users.
- Proof people care about the problem.
4. Prototype the Value Before the Product
No MVP yet? You can still simulate value:
- Host a live workshop on the topic.
- Manually solve the problem behind the scenes (“concierge MVP”).
- Share case studies or interviews from others solving the same challenge.
The goal is simple: create “aha” moments before you have a polished solution.
5. Build an Audience, Not Just a List
Email subscribers are great—but community is better. Use that early access list to create feedback loops:
- Invite them to a private Discord, Telegram, or Slack group.
- Run polls, ask questions, let them shape what’s coming.
- Reward early adopters with recognition or perks.
People support what they help build.
6. Test Demand with Scarcity
Once you have a bit of buzz, test the market:
- Launch a waitlist with limited access.
- Offer early-bird pricing for founding users.
- Run a pilot cohort with a set number of seats.
Scarcity turns passive interest into action—and tells you if your demand engine is real.
7. Nail the Narrative, Then Scale
Your product may still evolve, but your message should start to sharpen:
- Who is this for?
- What pain are you solving?
- Why now?
Once the story clicks, you can scale with ads, partners, content, and SEO. But don’t turn on the faucet until you’re sure your message converts.
