Jan 16, 2025 Written by David Barlev

CEO Spotlight: How to Validate a Concept Before Having a Product

Figuring out whether a product idea actually meets and fulfills a market need is crucial for..well, moving the product. There’s a term for this process—concept validation— and it’s crucial for successful product development. And for startups and businesses, validating an idea before investing in development can save time, resources, and energy—so you build something that your audience truly needs.

Why Concept Validation Matters for Startups and Businesses

Think about it: Many times, when we’re trying to go to market with a new concept, we aim to test and gain a sense of market validation before we actually build or create anything. This approach helps mitigate risk by determining whether your idea aligns with market demand. In fact, CB Insights reports that 35% of startups fail because there is no market need for their product. By validating your concept early, you can avoid becoming part of this statistic.

Four Key Steps to Validate a Concept

At Goji Labs, we use a framework to categorize features into four buckets, which makes the decision-making process a lot clearer.

1. Identifying Your Ideal Client Profile (ICP)

First things first: figure out who you’re building for. The primary way we like to validate concepts is by first identifying our Ideal Client Profile (ICP). When figuring out your target audience, think about these things:

  • Demographics: Age, location, income, and education.
  • Psychographics: Goals, pain points, and purchasing behavior.

Once you have an ICP, find people from this representative target market and actually speak with them. This helps ensure that you’ve adequately understood their problems, diagnosed the right solutions, and validated that your concept addresses their needs.

2. Conducting User Interviews to Understand Pain Points

Now that you know who they are, it’s time to chat. Picture yourself discussing a challenge they’ve encountered. That’s the tone to strike when conducting user interviews. Stick with these guidelines to effectively get feedback for concept validation:

  • Ask open-ended questions like, “What challenges do you face in [specific area]?”
  • Avoid leading questions to get unbiased feedback.
  • Focus on their current solutions and unmet needs.

We often use casual advertising on social media to find individuals who have faced the issue we’re trying to solve. When we dig into customers’ pain points and motivations, along with how they tackled their problems, we really get a clear picture of what’s going on.

It’s all about understanding what drives them and the results they experience. Handy tools like Google Forms and Calendly make it super easy to schedule interviews and gather data!

3. Prototyping and Low-Cost Testing Methods

Here’s where people get tripped up—they think they need a fully built product to start testing. But that’s not the case. To validate your concept and minimize costs, build as little as possible during testing. Use these methods :

  1. Paper Prototypes: Literally sketch your idea and show it to people. “Does this make sense? Would you use it?”
  2. No-Code Tools: Use platforms like Bubble or Airtable to create a basic version of your product.
  3. Processes: Simulate solutions through manual processes, similar to a consulting engagement. Pretend to be your product. (This is also called a “concierge MVP.”)

For example, an Excel spreadsheet or Airtable can simulate your product’s workflow. It’s simple, effective, and gets the job done without breaking the bank.

4. Leveraging Digital Tools for Quick Validation

These days, there are so many tools to quickly, but effectively, simulate your value prop. Doing so allows you to test your concept with real users—with extremely minimal investment. Here are a few to consider:

  • Surveys and Polls: Platforms like Typeform or SurveyMonkey are great for gathering quick feedback.
  • Social Media Ads: Test interest with small ad campaigns.
  • Crowdfunding: Kickstarter isn’t just for funding—it’s also a built-in validation tool. If people are willing to pre-order your product, you’re onto something.

These methods help you quickly gauge whether your audience is excited about your solution before investing heavily.

Lessons Learned: Real-World Examples of Concept Validation Success

Successful businesses have embraced concept validation to refine their products. For instance:

  • Dropbox: They began with a simple explainer video—no product, just a vision. The enthusiastic response was all the validation they needed.
  • Zappos: Founder Nick Swinmurn tested demand by listing shoes online and buying them locally only after a sale. Talk about low risk!

The Role of Iteration in Building a Product that Resonates

Okay, let’s say you’ve validated your concept. Does that mean you’re done? Not quite. Once we’ve figured out what the product needs to be, we focus on iteration. Early feedback helps refine your idea and improve alignment with user needs. Use agile methodologies to adapt quickly:

  • Test frequently: Every iteration brings you closer to what your audience wants.
  • Prioritize user needs: Focus on the features that truly matter.
  • Stay flexible: Don’t be afraid to pivot if the concept isn’t hitting the mark.

Validating a concept doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. It’s about getting scrappy, talking to the right people, and using simple tools to test your ideas. Think of it as a conversation with your market—an opportunity to listen, learn, and refine. The sooner you validate, the sooner you can build something people genuinely need.

So, don’t overthink it—start small, talk to your audience, and let their feedback guide the way. After all, every great product starts with understanding the people it’s meant to help.

At Goji Labs, among other things, we also specialize in launching products, and helping businesses validate their concepts while using their resources wisely. So, if you have any questions, reach out to us—we’d love to help.



This post was written by David Barlev, CEO and Chief Product Strategist @ Goji Labs.