Testing an Idea with a Mini Sales Site

While keyword research can provide valuable estimates of market demand, the most accurate way to test a product idea is to observe the behavior of real website visitors. The Mini Sales Site is a low-cost, low-risk method for doing just that.

The Principle: Simulate the Sale

The core idea behind the Mini Sales Site is to create a realistic simulation of the buying process before you have a finished product. This allows you to gauge genuine customer interest in a way that simply asking them is not able to.

The Process

Create a Mini Sales Site: Build a simple, two- or three-page website that includes a home page, a product tour (optional), and a pricing/sign-up page.
Use Realistic Mockups: The site should feature realistic screenshots or mockups of your product, along with a clear feature list and sales copy.
Include a Call to Action: The goal is to get visitors to click a "Buy Now" or "Download Free Trial" button.
Drive Traffic with AdWords: Use a targeted Google AdWords campaign to send a small but steady stream of traffic to your site.
Track Conversions: When a visitor clicks your call to action, track it as a conversion in AdWords. Instead of a real purchase, the visitor is taken to a page that informs them the product is still in development and offers them a chance to sign up for a launch notification.

The Benefits

This approach provides several key benefits:

Accurate Data: It gives you real-world data on how many people are willing to "buy" your product, which is a much more accurate measure of demand than keyword research alone.
Low Cost: The cost is limited to the AdWords spend and the time it takes to create the mini-site, which is a fraction of the cost of building a full product.
Fast Feedback: You can get valuable feedback on your product idea in a matter of days or weeks, rather than months.

The Mini Sales Site is a powerful tool for de-risking a new product idea and ensuring that you are building something that people are actually willing to pay for.