Launch with audience, not just product—create content asset that builds waitlist while MVP is being built
While GoProposal's £4,000 MVP was being built (3-month timeline), James wrote and published 'Selling to Serve' in two weeks. The book was the recipe book for how to do what his software enabled—how to price and sell accounting services more effectively. He made it an Amazon bestseller and used it to drive people to a waitlist. By the time the product launched, he had hundreds of people ready to try it and had established himself as the thought leader in the space. The book was a better lead generation asset than any ad campaign could be. Most founders wait until the product is done to start marketing. Better approach: create a content asset (book, course, video series) that solves part of the problem and builds your audience while you build.
When to use
Use this when you're building a product that requires education or behavior change, especially in B2B. While the MVP is being built, create a comprehensive content asset (book, course, playbook) that teaches the methodology your product automates. Use it to build a waitlist and establish thought leadership before launch.
Don't do this
Waiting until your product is built to start marketing, or thinking 'I need to finish the product before I can talk about it.' The market needs time to warm up to you, and a book or comprehensive guide published before your product gives you a massive head start.
1 Founder Who Did This
Self-published 'Selling to Serve' on Kindle in two weeks while MVP was being developed, building a waitlist of a few hundred people and establishing authority before launch