Sell Before You Build

Pre-Sell to Validate” course highlighted by Failory as essential for validating ideas before investing time and capital.

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The Case for Pre-Selling Before Building

In the world of startups, the difference between a thriving product and a costly failure often comes down to validation. According to CB Insights, 42% of startups fail because there is no market need. That single number should give every founder pause.

Instead of betting on assumptions, founders can pre-sell their product before writing a single line of code. By setting up a landing page, offering early pricing tiers, or running a waitlist campaign, startups can gather proof of demand before committing months—or years—of resources. As serial investor Marc Andreessen once put it, “In a startup, absolutely nothing happens unless you make it happen.” Pre-selling ensures the “making it happen” begins with customers, not just founders.

From Interest to Commitment

It is not enough for people to say they like your idea. Real validation requires commitment. That means actual sign-ups, deposits, or even full pre-orders. Platforms such as Stripe and Shopify allow founders to collect payments for future products, lowering the barrier to structured experiments.

A study from Harvard Business Review notes that over 80% of new products fail—not due to poor design but because customers were never willing to pay. A waitlist with 500 sign-ups is interesting; 500 prepaid orders is transformative.

Stat to note: According to ProductLed, startups that test pricing before launch are 31% more likely to reach product-market fit.

How to Run a Pre-Sell Campaign

A successful pre-sell follows a structured framework:

Landing Page as a Test Bed

Use tools like Carrd or Unbounce to quickly launch a page. Test variations of product copy and pricing.

Tiered Pricing Experiments

Offer multiple packages—basic, pro, and premium. Track which tier customers attempt to buy. This not only validates demand but also clarifies willingness to pay.

Waitlist Incentives

Use scarcity tactics responsibly. Early customers may get lifetime discounts or exclusive features. This tactic is common in SaaS, where Notion famously scaled through early access waitlists.

Transparent Communication

Customers need to know they are supporting a product still in development. Transparency builds trust—and makes refunds less painful if plans shift.

Learning From Experts

Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham famously advised startups to “do things that don’t scale.” Pre-selling is the perfect embodiment of this principle—manually testing ideas, speaking with early buyers, and shaping the product around real demand.

Similarly, author Eric Ries in The Lean Startup reminds founders that validated learning is more valuable than lines of code. A strong pre-sell campaign provides exactly that: learning, commitment, and capital before the build.

Conclusion

Founders who pre-sell not only validate faster but also lower risk, gain early revenue, and sharpen their product vision. Pre-selling is not about tricking customers—it is about creating a transparent contract between early adopters and builders.

When done correctly, it saves time, builds confidence, and transforms a fragile idea into a data-backed venture.

Just launched your new business and need resources to ace direct marketing at lower costs with higher ROI?

Check out Salesfully’s course, Mastering Sales Fundamentals for Long-Term Success, designed to help you attract new customers efficiently and affordably.

Don't stop there! Create your free Salesfully account today and gain instant access to premium sales data and essential resources to fuel your startup journey.