Validate Your Business Idea for Under $100

Validate Your Business Idea for Under $100

You don’t need a full product, an LLC, or months of work to figure out if your idea deserves your nights and weekends. With less than $100 and your existing ability to record decent video and audio, you can get real buying signals in 7 days.

What validation actually means
– Opinions vs behavior: friends saying “that’s cool” is opinion. Clicking “buy,” placing a deposit, booking a call, or joining a waitlist with intent to pay is behavior. Optimize for behavior.
– The two commitments to measure:
1) Soft commit: email signups, interview bookings, replies that include specifics (“I’d pay $X if it does Y”).
2) Hard commit: preorders, paid deposits, or signed letters of intent (B2B).

A realistic sub-$100 stack (pick what you need)
– Domain (optional): $10–$15 for year one.
– Landing page: $0–$19 using simple builders or a Notion page.
– Forms/surveys: free tiers are enough.
– Email capture: free tiers (audiences under 500–1,000 contacts).
– Payments: free to set up; you’ll pay processing fees only if you take money.
– Calendar for interviews: free tier.
– Analytics: free.
– Ad spend (optional but fast): $25–$60 total across 1–2 platforms.
– Total cash outlay examples:
– Bare-bones organic: $0–$25 (no domain, no ads).
– Balanced: ~$40–$70 (domain + small ads).
– Faster signal: ~$90 (domain + $60 ad test).

A 7‑day validation sprint
Assume evenings and a bit of weekend time. Swap days if needed.

Day 1: Nail the hypothesis and success criteria
– Problem statement: “For [specific person], who [context], the problem is [pain] that causes [cost/time/emotion].”
– Solution concept: 1–2 sentences. No jargon.
– Audience: one tight segment (e.g., “new moms in their first 6 months back at work,” “indie podcasters with under 5k downloads,” “first-time managers at tech startups”).
– Price target: pick a real price you’d be happy to charge now (not a future fantasy price).
– Success criteria (choose 2–3 that fit your model):
– Click-through rate (CTR) from ad or social post to page ≥ 1.0%.
– Landing page to email signup ≥ 15% (free waitlist) or ≥ 5% (with deposit option visible).
– Hard commits: at least 5 paid deposits or 3 B2B LOIs.
– 8–10 interviews booked, with 50% saying they’d pay your target price today.
– Write your one-sentence value prop using this template:
– “Get [outcome] without [big hassle] in [timeframe], for [price anchor].”

Day 2: Prototype with content, not code (you already know how to shoot)
– Record two short videos:
1) 60-second “why this matters” pitch (talking head, captions).
2) 2–3 minute product walkthrough or demo concept (screen recording, mockups, or a concierge version showing you doing it manually).
– Create a simple visual:
– A 1–3 screen mockup (Figma/Canva).
– Or a before/after slide with a quick metric (e.g., “save 4 hrs/week”).
– Decide your MVP style:
– Concierge MVP: you personally deliver the outcome for first 3–5 customers using manual tools.
– Video demo MVP: shows the experience even if the product isn’t built yet.
– Preorder MVP: promise delivery date, offer refund guarantee.

Day 3: Build a one‑page site in 60–90 minutes
– Must-have sections (keep it skimmable):
– Headline: outcome + time/cost (e.g., “Book 3 qualified podcast guests in 7 days, guaranteed.”)
– Subhead: one-liner proof or mechanism.
– Hero: your 60–90s video.
– Bullets: 3 pains you remove and 3 outcomes you deliver.
– Social proof placeholder: “Founding cohort limited to 10” or “Pilot with 5 people.”
– Offer: clear price anchor. If not taking money yet, show price to set expectation.
– CTA: either “Preorder for $20 deposit,” “Join the founding waitlist,” or “Book a 15-min fit call.”
– FAQ: address delivery date, refund policy, who it’s for/not for.
– Add a form for email capture and a scheduler link if calls are part of the funnel.
– If you do take money:
– Use a payment link with a clear preorder/refund statement and an expected delivery window (e.g., “Ships by December 5; full refund any time before that date on request.”)

Day 4: Traffic plan—paid microtests + organic conversations
Paid (optional but fast; cap at $25–$60 total)
– Platform 1 (Meta or TikTok): 1–2 creatives derived from your 60s video. Target by interest and broad age range 24–38, refine by interests unique to your niche.
– Platform 2 (Google Search) if demand exists: bid on 2–4 intent keywords (“podcast guest booking service,” “meal prep for new parents weekly”).
– Goals:
– 500–1,500 impressions.
– 30–100 clicks.
– Enough to gauge CTR and on-page conversion.
Organic (free but deliberate)
– DM and post where your audience already is (Reddit subs, Discords, niche FB groups, Slack communities, LinkedIn groups). Lead with value, not a link dump.
– Outreach script:
– “Quick gut check? I’m piloting [solution] that helps [specific group] get [outcome] in [time]. If that’s you, I’d love to gift the first [X] people a founder rate in exchange for feedback. Here’s the 60s demo. If relevant, I can send details or book 15 mins.”

Day 5: Customer interviews (10 is ideal; 5 minimum)
– Booking: use your scheduler link. Offer a founder rate or perk for their time.
– Interview guide (15 minutes):
1) Tell me about the last time you faced [problem]. What did you do?
2) What have you tried? What did it cost (time/money)?
3) What happens if you do nothing?
4) If a magic wand solved it, what changes next week?
5) Walk through this 2-min demo—where does it break for you?
6) Would you pay $X today to solve it? If no, what would make it a yes? If yes, can we place a refundable deposit to hold a spot?
– Record with consent. Tag exact phrases that indicate urgency and willingness to pay.

Day 6: Price and offer test (hard-signal day)
Pick one:
– Deposit test: $10–$50 refundable deposit to reserve a founding spot or discount.
– Tier test: show two packages (Core at $X, Plus at $1.8X). If most interest is in Plus, you’ve learned about scope and value.
– Time-boxed pilot: “Only 5 founding customers, start date Nov 3, weekly delivery, cancel anytime, full refund if we fail to deliver week 1.”

Day 7: Analyze, decide, and communicate
– Metrics cheat sheet (rules of thumb, not commandments):
– Ad CTR benchmarks: ≥ 1.0% on Meta/TikTok creative suggests message-market pull. < 0.5% likely means your hook isn’t landing.
– Landing page to waitlist: 15–25% is promising; < 10% usually means unclear value or wrong traffic.
– Landing page to paid deposit: 3–8% is strong; 1–2% is borderline but may be okay if ticket price is high.
– Interview buy signals: at least 3 of 10 say “I would pay $X now” and 2 actually place a deposit.
– Decision gates:
– Green light: hit or exceed 2 of your success criteria; at least 2 hard commits (consumer) or 1 LOI (B2B) at your target price.
– Pivot: strong clicks but weak conversion; rewrite headline, sharpen offer, adjust audience, and retest for 48 hours.
– Kill or shelve: poor clicks and poor conversion after two distinct creative/offer iterations. Document what you learned and move to the next idea.

Templates you can copy/paste

Landing page copy
– Headline: “Get [specific outcome] in [timeframe] without [top hassle].”
– Subhead: “Designed for [who], proven to [result]. Founding cohort limited to [N].”
– Bullets:
– Replace [manual task] with [automated/concierge step].
– Save ~[time/money] per week.
– Start seeing results by [date or timeframe].
– Offer: “Founder rate $[price]/month for first [N] customers. Cancel anytime.”
– CTA: “Reserve your spot with a $20 refundable deposit” or “Join the pilot waitlist.”

Ad copy (Meta/TikTok, script the first 3 seconds)
– Hook: “Still spending Sundays on [pain]? Here’s how to get [outcome] by next week.”
– Body: “I’m testing a new [service/product] for [who]. We do [simple mechanism]. Founding spots are limited.”
– CTA: “Watch the 60-second demo. Reserve a spot if it’s a fit.”

Cold DM/email (B2B-leaning)
– Subject: “Quick idea to cut [metric] by [X]%”
– Message: “I’m piloting a lightweight way for [role] to get [outcome] in [timeframe]. 2-min demo here. If relevant, could we do a 15-min fit check? If it’s not useful, I’ll point you to two free alternatives.”

Interview closing line
– “Sounds like this matters now. If I could deliver [outcome] starting [date], would you be open to reserving a spot with a refundable $25? If we don’t deliver value in week one, I’ll refund same day.”

Ethics and transparency (important even for smoke tests)
– Be clear it’s a pilot or preorder.
– State the delivery date window and refund policy on the page and payment link.
– If you don’t move forward, refund immediately and send a thank-you note with a resource or referral.

Three under-$100 sample plans

Plan A: Organic-first ($0–$25)
– Notion page + free form + free scheduler + your video.
– 30–50 targeted DMs/posts across 2–3 communities.
– Goal: 10 interviews, 2 deposits.

Plan B: Balanced ($40–$70)
– Domain ($12) + simple page ($9–$19).
– $25–$40 ad spend on one platform + 15 targeted DMs.
– Goal: 100–200 unique visits, 20–40 signups, 3–5 deposits.

Plan C: Fast signals ($85–$95)
– Domain + simple page.
– $60 ad split: $40 Meta/TikTok video, $20 Google exact-intent keywords.
– Goal: 300–500 visits, 30–75 signups, 5–10 deposits.

How to adapt by business type
– Services (editing, coaching, design): concierge MVP is perfect. Offer a “founder package” with a clear weekly deliverable. Show before/after clips in your hero video.
– Digital product/course: sell a cohort-based beta with 4 live sessions and templates. Record week 1, refine for week 2.
– Physical product: deposit secures first batch; use a video demo with a 3D mockup or prototype. Limit batch size and date.
– B2B SaaS: sell the outcome via manual ops first. Promise a “button” later. Aim for 1–3 paid pilots at a monthly fee.

Common pitfalls (and quick fixes)
– Vague audience: “busy people” isn’t an audience. Pick a job title, life stage, or niche community you can find online.
– Feature soup: outcomes beat features. Lead with “Save 5 hours/week” not “AI-powered dashboard.”
– Asking for opinions: switch to “Tell me about the last time you did X. What did it cost you?”
– Hiding price: show your target price early. Sticker shock teaches you something.
– Too little traffic: if you have fewer than 100 unique visitors, it’s hard to judge. Top up with low-cost traffic before deciding.

What to do after the sprint
– If green-lit:
– Serve your founding customers manually for 2–4 weeks.
– Document your process into checklists and scripts.
– Raise price 20–30% for the next cohort if outcomes are strong.
– If pivoting:
– Change one variable at a time: audience, promise, or mechanism. Retest within 48–72 hours.
– If shelving:
– Email the list: “We’re pausing this direction” + refund where needed + bonus resource. Ask one question: “What would you have wanted this to do perfectly?”

A quick mini-example
– Idea: “Guest-getter” for indie podcasters under 5k downloads.
– Day 1: Hypothesis—$149/month to deliver 3 qualified guests monthly.
– Day 2: Record 60s pitch + 2-min workflow screen record.
– Day 3: Page with headline “Book 3 quality podcast guests in 7 days, guaranteed.” Founder rate $79 for first 5 shows.
– Day 4: $35 on TikTok/Meta targeting podcasting interests + 10 Reddit/Discord outreach messages.
– Day 5: 8 interviews; learn that hosts hate back-and-forth scheduling.
– Day 6: Deposit link: $20 to reserve a founding spot; guarantee full refund if no guest in week 1.
– Day 7: 220 visits, 32 emails (14.5%), 6 deposits (2.7%). Green light. Deliver manually using a spreadsheet, Calendly, and templated outreach.

Finally, remember: the goal isn’t to be right—it’s to learn fast and cheap. You have the advantage of being able to create crisp video and audio; use that to make your promise vivid. If you can get a stranger to watch 60 seconds, click through, and part with even $10 to reserve a spot, you’re not guessing anymore—you’re building.