Start with a narrow promise
A good test begins with a clear promise that fits on one line. If the statement needs multiple caveats, the test will be hard to measure and even harder to explain. Pick a specific audience and a single outcome they actually care about. The goal is not to predict the entire market, but to find an honest signal that someone would take the next step.
Keep the promise tied to a situation, not a persona. A situation has timing, urgency, and constraints that shape what people will pay for. Write down the two or three alternatives they use today, even if those alternatives are improvised. Your offer only needs to be meaningfully better than the workaround for one situation to start learning.
Design the smallest credible offer
The smallest credible offer proves you can deliver value without pretending you already built everything. That might be a paid discovery call, a workshop, a template pack, or a short done-with-you engagement. Credibility comes from specificity: what is included, what is excluded, and what happens after purchase. The closer the offer is to an actual transaction, the less you rely on opinions.
Price the offer so that a yes means something. Free signups can be useful, but they often measure curiosity rather than intent. If charging money is too early, use a waitlist with a clear next step and a defined start date. Your job is to create a decision, not a vague expression of interest.
Collect proof that changes your plan
Ask questions that surface trade-offs and constraints, because those are the things that shape real buying behavior. When someone says yes, document what they believed they were buying and why now was the right time. When someone says no, capture the alternative they chose and the reason it felt safer or cheaper. A useful test produces evidence that changes your plan within a week.
Write down three thresholds before you start: how many conversations, how many commitments, and what counts as a strong signal. That prevents you from moving the goalposts when feedback is mixed. If the signal is weak, narrow the promise further and test again. If the signal is strong, expand delivery only as fast as you can maintain quality.