10 Steps to Validate your SaaS Idea - From idea to MVP

How to Build a Must-Have Product: A Step-by-Step Guide

We all have amazing business ideas that we’re sure will work and turn into profitable ventures.

But the real question is: do your potential customers agree?

Here’s the hard truth: feedback from family, friends, or a couple of enthusiastic people saying, “This is amazing; I’d definitely pay for it!” doesn’t count. When the time comes to open their wallets, they’ll likely disappear.

“Build it, and they’ll come” is one of the most dangerous mindsets for entrepreneurs. Many of my friends have built products and services, feeling like successful entrepreneurs. But when they tried to sell their creations, nobody cared.

I’ve seen this happen too many times, both in B2B sales and in my own entrepreneurial journey. That’s why I’ve developed a structured process to avoid these pitfalls while building CommunityBeam.

Here’s how I do it:

1. Start with a Few Problems

The first step is to identify common problems faced by your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). But don’t assume every problem is worth solving or paying for. Some challenges are too minor or unimportant for customers to invest in a solution.

Start by researching your target market and selecting a couple of potential problems to explore. This gives you a starting point for deeper validation.

2. Prepare Discovery Questions

Before diving into conversations with your ICP, create a list of open-ended questions. These should be designed to encourage your audience to share their pain points and the impact of these challenges.

Most people will respond with feel-good comments like:

• “Your idea is great!”
• “This is amazing; you’re a genius.”
• “Keep going—it’s sure to succeed.”

While this boosts your ego, it’s not helpful.

Two common issues arise in these conversations:

1. People unintentionally lie to avoid conflict or to make you feel good.
2. There’s a problem, but it’s not important or urgent enough to pay for solving.

Your goal is not to get validation but to understand the underlying pain and its impact. Avoid guiding the conversation to fit your idea—let them speak freely.

3. Do Outreach and Book Meetings

Speak with at least 20 potential customers to identify common problems. At this stage, avoid convincing anyone that your idea is great. Instead, focus on learning:

• What’s causing the most pain?
• How does this problem affect their business or KPIs?
• Have they tried to solve it before? What worked or failed?
• Does this problem impact other parts of the business?
• What would their ideal solution look like?

After these conversations, you’ll start noticing patterns. Use these insights to refine your focus—but don’t jump into building a solution yet.

4. Build a Landing Page and Waitlist

Once you’ve narrowed down a problem worth solving, create a landing page that clearly communicates your proposed solution.

The purpose of this page is twofold:

1. To explain your idea in a way that resonates with your target audience.
2. To capture email addresses for a waitlist.

Getting someone to give you their email is harder than you think. It’s your first test to see if the problem is compelling enough for people to show interest.

5. Expand Your Waitlist

With a basic waitlist in place, start generating traction. If you already have an audience on LinkedIn, Twitter, or other platforms, leverage it.

Here’s how to drive sign-ups:

• Write blog posts targeting SEO keywords related to your solution. You won’t see massive traffic, but even a small number of sign-ups is a strong signal.
• Share your idea on social media and invite people to join the waitlist.
• Run paid ads on Facebook or Instagram. Use a data provider to export a list of relevant prospects, create a lookalike audience, and track sign-ups.

6. Create an Early Lifetime Access Plan

Before building anything, ask people to pay. Even a $50 or $100 one-time payment can validate your idea.

Your goal is to achieve a 15-20% conversion rate from your waitlist. Analyze who pays and who doesn’t. Reach out personally to understand why some are willing to invest while others hesitate.

Use email campaigns and follow-up calls to gather additional insights about your audience’s expectations and needs.

7. Focus on Paying Customers

Your paying customers are your most valuable resource. Schedule detailed discovery calls to understand:

• What made them pay for your solution.
• What problems they expect your product to solve.
• What additional features or improvements they’d like to see.

This feedback will shape the foundation of your product.

8. Offer the Solution as a Service First

Don’t start building your product yet. Offer your solution manually as a service to validate its effectiveness.

Doing things manually helps you:

• Understand whether the solution meets expectations.
• Discover additional pain points or features customers want.
• Gather feedback on what works and what doesn’t.

Ask customers:

• Would they be upset if the service no longer existed? How much?
• Would they continue using the service in its current form?
• Have they seen a measurable impact on their work?

9. Build the MVP

Now that you have validated your idea through insights, payments, and manual service, it’s time to build.

Focus on the most critical pain points and create the simplest version of your product—your Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Invite early adopters to test it, fix bugs, and collect feedback to prepare for a public launch.

10. Launch Publicly

Turn every insight and material you’ve gathered into marketing content. Use every channel available to promote your launch:

• Post on Product Hunt, Hacker News, and similar platforms.
• Write blogs and share updates on social media.
• Run paid ads if resources allow.

A strong public launch can amplify your reach and bring in new users.

Final Thoughts

This process isn’t easy. It’s stressful and takes time, but it minimizes the risks of losing money and effort on an unvalidated idea.

Many aspiring founders aim to create the next big thing, but remember: nobody wants to pay for a nice-to-have product. To build a must-have product that generates sustainable revenue, focus on solving problems that are both urgent and worth paying for.

By following this process, you’ll not only build something people want but also lay the foundation for long-term success.

‍