In startups, time is crucial. As a founder with limited time and money, you need to prioritize getting a minimum viable product to market quickly for immediate feedback. Skipping this step risks wasted resources on unwanted features. This blog will discuss the benefits of using a fake door approach, which minimizes financial risk and allow you to quickly get feedback even without doing any prototyping.

What is a fake door test?

A fake door test, also known as a smoke test, painted door test, or Pretotyping, is a method of testing a product idea or feature before it is fully developed. It is a low-cost and low-risk way to validate your ideas before investing time and resources into building them.

How do you execute a fake door test?

To conduct a fake door test, you need to create a landing page or prototype that introduces the new product or feature. You would then drive traffic to the landing page or prototype using digital advertising or other marketing channels. When users click on the call to action button, they are taken to a page that explains that the product or feature is not yet available, but that they can sign up to be notified when it is.

By tracking how many people visit the landing page, clicking on the call to action button, and signing up for the notification list, you can get a good sense of how much interest there is in your new product or feature. This information can help you decide whether or not to move forward with development.

Why should you use a fake door test?

Fake door tests can be a very effective way to validate your ideas and reduce the risk of launching a product or feature that no one wants. However, it is important to be transparent with your users and to let them know that the product or feature they are signing up for is not yet available. Otherwise, you could risk damaging your brand reputation.

Another benefit of a fake door test is to test the willingness to pay for a certain product or feature. You can do A/B testing on prices in the landing page – this will give you an indication of what you can charge for your product or service.

How can you succeed with a fake door test?

Here are some tips for conducting a successful fake door test:

• Make sure your landing page or prototype is well-designed and informative. It should clearly explain what the new product or feature is and why it would be valuable to your customers.
• Use targeted advertising to drive traffic to your landing page or prototype. This will help you to reach the people who are most likely to be interested in what you have to offer.
• Be transparent with your users and let them know that the product or feature they are signing up for is not yet available. Explain why you are conducting the test and how you will use the feedback you collect.
• Follow up with the people who sign up for the notification list. Keep them updated on the development of the product or feature and let them know when it is available to use.

Conclusion

Fake door tests can be a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes. By using them to validate your ideas and reduce the risk of launching a product or feature that no one wants, you can increase your chances of success.

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