You have a niche idea. But do real buyers exist? I’ve launched things that flopped. The difference was skipping this step. Here’s the 3-step system I use to validate before I build.

Who is your most specific buyer?

You can’t validate everyone. Pick one person. Give them a job title, a pain point, and a budget. My buyer for this site? Solo creators earning $2k-10k/month who feel scattered. That’s specific enough to test. If you can’t name them in one sentence, you’re too broad.

Want to narrow your niche? Read the Niche of One cheat sheet first. It shows exactly how to define your audience.

Where do they hang out online?

Go where your buyer already spends time. Reddit, Twitter, niche forums, or LinkedIn groups. Spend 30 minutes reading their questions. Do they ask about your topic? Do they complain about the same problem? If yes, you have demand. If no, pivot.

I use this same research method when planning content. The Solo Content Engine cheat sheet shows how to turn those conversations into posts.

Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. If your buyer pays that to sell their products, they’re serious. ConvertKit starts at $9/month for creators building email lists. Real tools mean real buyers. Check what your audience pays for.

Can you get a pre-commitment?

Ask before you build. A pre-commitment is an email address or a $1 deposit. Not “sounds cool” — real action. Send a DM: “I’m building X. Want early access?” Track responses. If 10+ people say yes in one week, you have a signal.

Calendly’s free plan lets you book 1:1 calls. Use it to talk to 5 potential buyers. Ask what they’d pay. If they name a price above $29, build. If they say “free,” you don’t have a product yet.

You are a senior audience research expert. I need to validate my niche idea [INSERT IDEA]. Generate 10 questions I can ask in a Reddit post or Twitter thread to test if people will pay for this. Include a way to measure interest (e.g. replies, DMs, email signups).

References

• Stripe Pricing
• ConvertKit Pricing
• Calendly Pricing

Read the related guide for more.

AUDIENCE VALIDATION CHECKLIST

BEFORE BUILDING PRODUCT:
[ ] Talked to 10+ potential customers?
[ ] Asked about their biggest pain point?
[ ] Asked what they've tried to solve it?
[ ] Asked what they'd pay for a solution?
[ ] Got 3+ people to pre-pay?

CONTENT VALIDATION:
[ ] Which blog post got most traffic?
[ ] Which tweet/thread got most engagement?
[ ] Which email got most replies?
[ ] What questions do people keep asking?

PRODUCT VALIDATION:
[ ] Landing page with email signup?
[ ] Waitlist of 100+ people?
[ ] Pre-sold 10+ copies?
[ ] Received payment before building?

RED FLAGS (Don't build if):
❌ You're the only one who wants it
❌ People say "that sounds cool" but won't pay
❌ You can't name 5 specific customers
❌ You haven't talked to anyone yet

RULE: Validate before you build.
Revenue is the only validation that matters.