Sell the Future
Sell the Future: how to turn ideas into reality
The "Sell the Future" method involves promoting and selling a product before it is fully developed, validating ideas, securing funding, and building customer engagement early on.
GOAL
The goal is to explain how businesses can sell an idea before it's realized, highlighting the benefits of early validation, funding, and community building, while addressing the risks and necessary steps for success.
TOPIC:
DURATION:
DIFFICULTY:
Medium
Have you ever thought about selling a product before it's even fully developed? It may sound crazy, but this is the heart of the "Sell the Future" method.
What is the "Sell the Future" method?
Essentially, it's about promoting and selling a product or feature that only exists on paper. It's like creating an exclusive preview, offering potential customers the opportunity to invest in an idea that excites them.
Why does it work?
Idea validation: If people are willing to pay for a product that doesn't exist yet, it means there is a real interest and need in the market.
Financing: Pre-orders or investments generated can fund the product development.
Building a community: By involving customers from the beginning, a community of enthusiasts is created that can provide valuable feedback during development.
Competitive advantage: Those who are first to market with an innovative solution have a better chance of success.
How to do it?
Create a vision: Clearly define the product and its benefits.
Engage potential customers: Present the idea clearly and convincingly, highlighting the benefits it will bring.
Offer an investment opportunity: Allow customers to pre-order the product or invest in development.
Manage expectations: Communicate transparently about development times and potential changes to the final product.
An example
Salesforce: Before becoming a CRM giant, Salesforce sold its vision of cloud-based software, gaining the trust of customers.
The advantages and risks
Advantages: Idea validation, financing, customer involvement.
Risks: Broken promises, customer disappointment, difficulty in managing expectations.
Sell the future is a risky but potentially very rewarding strategy. It allows you to turn ideas into reality and create products that meet customer needs. However, it is essential to be transparent, manage expectations, and have a clear vision of the final product.
Before embarking on this adventure, carefully consider the pros and cons. Make sure you have a solid idea, a well-defined development plan, and an effective communication strategy.
