course-validation-and-mvp

name	course-validation-and-mvp
description	Use when validating course before full build. MVP = minimum viable product. Validates demand before investment.

Course Validation and MVP

Validate before building: pre-sell, waitlist, beta cohort. If 10+ commit to pay before building, viable.

Validation methods

1. Pre-sell — sell before building (refund if doesn't happen)
2. Waitlist — collect emails of interested
3. Beta cohort — discount price for first cohort
4. Survey — what would you pay for X?
5. Reference customers — interview potential buyers
6. Customer development — talk to 30+ in target audience
7. Smoke test — landing page + signup before product exists

Pre-sell mechanics

1. Launch landing page with course outline
2. Add 'Coming Soon' or 'Founding Members' tier
3. Pre-sell at 40-60% discount
4. Set close date (after which price increases or sale closes)
5. Hit minimum sales threshold (e.g., 30 customers)
6. Build course in next 60-90 days
7. Deliver to founders, then open to public

If validation fails

Sales <10 pre-sells = signal:

1. Market doesn't exist — pivot or kill
2. Wrong positioning — adjust messaging
3. Wrong price — test different price points
4. No urgency — add deadline or scarcity
5. Wrong channel — reach different audience

Better to fail fast at validation than waste 6 months building.

Where this fits in the X3 empire

Validation framework for CardPrepAI Academy course launches.