As product people, we don't want to create something that's just good. We want it to resonate with people.
When I launch something new, my biggest fear is that people won't like it, won't care, or won't show up.
Additionally, a lot of people I know also struggle to promote the things they've made.
These two pain points are related. If you're not confident that people will like what you've made, it's hard to promote it.
No one wants to send out invitations, and have zero people show up for their party.
You don't.
You never truly get over the fear of launching something no one wants.
But you can reduce it. There's a feedback loop you can go through that will give you the confidence you need. It's a system for discovering products people want.
It looks like this:
I realize that this might seem simplistic. But when you show up every day, you'll find opportunities to help people in meaningful ways.
For example, my friend Jarrod is a designer and hangs out with other designers. His friends were having a hard time communicating their value to clients. So Jarrod decided to write The Tiny Designer.
Once you've created a solution that people need, you won't feel like a huckster. You’re helping folks solve their problems (and that's worth doing).
Making something people want is no good if they never hear about it.
Working in public will help alleviate your launch anxiety. When you show up, and share your process, you'll see if your work is resonating.
For example, my friends Steve Schoger and Adam Wathan shared tips like this for a year before their launch:
Seeing hundreds of people interact with their tweets gave them the confidence that they were on the right track.
You don't need thousands of Twitter followers to do this! Here are other places you can share your work:
These should be blatant promotions. The brilliance of Steve and Adam's "tweet tips" is that they're practical and helpful.
I hope this helps,
Justin Jackson
@mijustin