What should I do if I have an idea for a new product or direction but I'm not sure if it will sell?

Test it with a small, low-risk pilot before investing heavily. For example, if you want to offer custom hand-painted items, don’t buy inventory upfront. Instead, do a live video or social post asking for a few guinea pigs or early adopters at a discounted rate (not free—always charge something to validate real interest). Get five to ten people to commit, fulfill those orders, showcase the results, and gauge interest for a waitlist. If the response is strong, scale up. If not, you’ve learned without a big financial or time investment. This approach validates the idea with real customer behavior (purchases, not just ‘likes’) and builds momentum through social proof before you go all-in.

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Asked by an artist considering hand-painted custom bags · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2024-06-28