How to conduct initial idea validation

Time for a 'sanity check' on your business idea

You've got an exciting business concept buzzing around your head, and that's brilliant. But before you dive in headfirst and spend any money, it’s a smart move to give it a quick 'road test'. This task is all about having a casual chat with people you trust to see what they think. It’s not about selling your idea or convincing them it’s perfect; it’s about listening, learning, and spotting any obvious holes you might have missed.

Think of it as a friendly MOT for your business concept before it properly hits the road.

Who should you talk to?

Your goal is to chat with between 5 and 10 people. The best people to approach at this very early stage are those who know you and you trust to be straight with you. Consider a mix of:

• Friends and Family: They know you best and will want to see you succeed. Just be sure to ask them for their honest thoughts, not just encouragement.
• Colleagues or former colleagues: People you've worked with can offer a different, more professional perspective on your idea's potential.
• A potential customer: If you know someone who fits the description of who you think would buy from you, their opinion is gold dust.

Top Tip: Try to avoid talking only to people who will tell you everything you do is amazing. A friend who loves to play devil's advocate can be incredibly valuable at this stage!

How to start the conversation

Keep it relaxed and informal. You don't need a PowerPoint presentation or a formal pitch. You could start the conversation with something as simple as:

"I've had a bit of a business idea and I'm just trying to figure out if it's completely mad or not. Have you got five minutes for me to run it by you and get your gut reaction?"

Explain your idea in a few simple sentences. At this point, you just need to get the basic concept across clearly.

What to ask them

Your main goal is to get them talking. Try using open-ended questions that can't be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. Here are a few ideas:

• What's the first thing that comes to mind when I describe this?
• Does it make sense to you? Is there anything confusing about it?
• Can you see any obvious problems I might have missed?
• Be honest, is this something you could ever see yourself (or someone you know) using or buying? Why, or why not?
• Who do you think this would be perfect for?

Listen, don't sell

This is the most important part. Once you've asked a question, your job is to listen carefully to the answer. It can be tempting to jump in and defend your idea if they raise a concern, but try to resist.

Instead of defending, get curious. If someone points out a flaw, ask them to explain it more. For example, you could say, "That's a really interesting point, can you tell me a bit more about why you think that would be an issue?"

After each chat, take a moment to jot down a few notes on what was said. After you’ve spoken to a few people, you can look back at your notes. Are the same concerns or positive comments coming up again and again? These patterns are what you're looking for.

What you'll have at the end

Once you've completed these chats, you won't have a scientific market research report, but you will have something just as valuable: a much better feel for your idea. You'll have a clearer sense of its strengths, potential weaknesses, and how people react to it. This feedback will help you refine your concept and move forward with much more confidence.