---
name: "market-validation"
description: "Validate market demand BEFORE building via waitlist + interviews + small bets. Use when the user says 'validate market', 'pre-launch validation', 'waitlist', 'before building'."
---

# Market Validation

Validate before code. AI-assisted development lowers build cost so much that the temptation to skip validation is higher than ever.

## 5-question framework
1. Who SPECIFICALLY has this problem? (named persona)
2. How are they solving it today? (if 'nothing', probably no real problem)
3. How much does the current solution cost in time/money/frustration?
4. Will they pre-pay for the better solution? (pre-orders are the only validation that counts)
5. Can you reach them cheaply? (if you can't acquire for <$5, unit economics will kill you)

## Validation stack (4-week sequence)

**Week 1 — Conversations:** 10 user interviews via `interview-users`. Find them in IndieHackers + niche subreddits.

**Week 2 — Waitlist:** one-page landing in 2 hours (Carrd / Framer / HTML). One value prop, email capture, screenshot/mockup.

**Week 3-8 — Distribution:**

| Channel | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| BetaList | Free queue 4-8 wk; $299 skip | Validated waitlist signup, 15-25% landing CVR |
| Indie Hackers | Free | Long-term engagement, build-in-public posts |
| X build-in-public | Free | Audience compounding |
| Subreddit posts (genuine) | Free | Validation + early users |
| ProductHunt | Free | Use AFTER product, not for waitlist |

## Marc Lou rule
70-80 waitlist signups → 1:1 calls with 20-30 → pitch heavily-discounted lifetime deal upfront. **If 5 people pay, build it.** If not, idea fails fast and cheap.

## Reference
`references/05-product-design.md`