I was working with a private coaching client recently, and it made sense for me to outline all the ideation and validation methods I know about for this client.

I'd like to share this list with you. If you want, I can elaborate on it a bit, perhaps via an email series or something like that. Just REPLY and let me know.

The overall theme is this: "Problems are markets" -- Gary Bencivenga

In other words, you can remain a pseudo-generalist and simply focus on a market vertical (looking either for a head start or for interest/affinity). What we're talking about here is a bit more advanced. A bit more ambitious. A bit more "find an expensive problem and become a self-made expert in that problem" kind of thing.

Ideation

• Look for patterns that point to an expensive problem from the vantage point of your current or past client work (find a head start)
• Look for patterns that point to an expensive problem in a specific market vertical
  • "Watering hole" ethnographic research
  • Customer development research
• Look for an expensive problem that's more horizontal in nature
  • Problem might be driven by broad tech trends (iOT, mobile, etc; reference Gartner Hype Cycle RE: ideal timing, tone of marketing message, risk)
  • Problem might be linked to maturity of a particular tech platform (eg. information deficit)
  • Problem might be an evergreen business problem (lead gen, inventory mgmt, BI, etc.)

Problem Validation (most lean method)

• "Watering hole" ethnographic research
• Customer development
  • In-network (least outreach effort)
  • Ask for referrals
  • Cold outreach (most outreach effort)

Validation is identifying a pattern in the data gathered through research.

After completing this form of validation, you either move directly to Sales Validation, or if you are more risk-averse you might use Marketing Validation as an intermediate validation method.

Marketing Validation (less lean than pure research, more lean than sales validation)

• Build content asset (email course, niche list, webinar)
  • Ad traffic -> content asset
  • Teach to borrowed audience (podcast guesting, webinar guest expert), CTA is to opt in to content asset

Validation is measured by opt-ins for content asset

Sales Validation (most "thick" method)

• Define offer
  • Coaching (least up-front effort)
  • Done-for-you
  • Training (most up-front effort)
• Write short email course
• Get/adapt some social proof
• Write & publish a landing page for the service
• Hire an outbound lead gen agency (https://www.leadcookie.com/ or https://www.leadlion.co/ are good), or do the outbound work yourself

Validation is measured by sales and opt-ins for content asset

I hope you find this list helpful.

If you'd like help with this kind of ideation or validation, I'd be happy to help: /services/-P