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Ask HN: Does YC method of finding users actually work?

2 points by prakhar897 ↗ HN
I had an Idea of a product: Sending personalized messages by using GPT.

Demo: https://youtu.be/XzEQj7k3xpQ

I asked in potential communities whether this product is needed and got good response. Then I created the product and....... no one joined.

The people who commented that they need it are not replying on DMs.

How do I proceed from here?

6 comments

[ 3.6 ms ] story [ 25.3 ms ] thread
muzani
You might want to read The Mom Test if you haven't. Or well, many of the books on market validation. The Startup Owner's Manual was the last book I read on the topic because I didn't need any more after that. Lean Startup is popular too but I haven't read it personally.

Questionnaires are cheap but often inaccurate. People will encourage questionaires and landing pages because they're so cheap, but most people who say they'd buy something don't and frequently people will say they won't buy something that they would.

rozenmd
What does your product do for people?

I would hire this tool to perform X job in my business - what's X?

go_discover
I am working on something that could compliment this. If you're interested in working with someone, as a cofounder, in this space please contact me on the email in my profile.
codingdave
In short, no - keep in mind that most advice out of YC or any startup-focused community does have value, but is not tailored to make your specific startup succeed. It is tailored to shotgun dozens of startups on a path where a fraction of them will succeed, so the people with slices of equity in them all make a profit. There are reasons to be founders in that mix, but if you are not a founder working with YC or another accelerator, you are playing a different game and need a different playbook.

You want to be exceedingly focused on making sure you have a problem with a market who will pay for it. If you are asking around whether people think an idea is good, you are not focused enough. You need an actual pilot user who is talking to you as you develop the product, looking at each iteration you product and either saying, "Yes, this is it." and giving you money, or saying, "No, not good enough" and telling you why not so you can iterate to something better.

_448
Read Paul Graham's essays at http://paulgraham.com

You will get answer to your question.

But always remember, one size does not fit all.

DanielRaid
How is the community build? Was it just a form?

Demo is pretty good. Probably people are looking for a one click solution.

Scrap a list from twitter/linkedin Set reach out purpose Auto reach out to all