Five questions worth asking before launch.

Who experiences the problem often enough to care? Describe the situation in concrete terms. A broad audience such as “small businesses” rarely tells you enough to design a useful first offer.

What does the customer do instead? The alternative may be a spreadsheet, a colleague or doing nothing. Understanding that alternative helps explain the effort required to persuade someone to change.

What are you assuming about willingness to pay? Interest and purchase behaviour are different forms of evidence. A limited, clearly explained offer can help you learn more than a favourable opinion.

Can you deliver the promise consistently? Identify the part that relies on scarce time or knowledge. A convincing launch should be connected to an honest delivery plan.

What would make you change direction? Decide what evidence would challenge the idea. The value of a small experiment is the opportunity to adapt before the business becomes expensive to change.