I'm not sure I'd want to take any advice that suggests starting off a business r... | Hacker News

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		emiller829 on Dec 17, 2010 \| parent \| context \| favorite \| on: How to (In)validate Your Startup Idea I'm not sure I'd want to take any advice that suggests starting off a business relationship by lying to the potential customer. (Re: "Identify your target customer. COLD email 20 of them and offer to pay THEM to use your product if they are willing to offer some feedback. See how many respond. If anybody responds, tell them that the offer is oversubscribed and that it is no longer available. See how many of those people still ask about the product.")

steveklabnik on Dec 17, 2010 [–]

Dry testing has always been controversial, it seems.

daemon on Dec 18, 2010 | [–]

I'd imagine that merely asking the potential users if they'd buy now, if it were available, would serve the same purpose.

swombat on Dec 18, 2010 | | | [–]

No, it wouldn't. "Would you buy know?" doesn't select the same people as "Click here to buy now".

steveklabnik on Dec 18, 2010 | | | [–]

From firsthand experience: no, it doesn't.

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