If you’re a startup or an entrepreneur, chances are you’ve heard of the minimum viable product or MVP. But, what is it? And, more importantly, how do you create one?
In this blog post, we’ll discuss what an MVP is, and provide tips and a guide on how to build your own. So read on for advice from some of the top experts in the field!
What is a Minimum Viable Product?
A minimum viable product is the bare minimum that you need to get your product or service out there and in front of customers or users. This could be a very early version of your product with only basic functionality, or it might be a fully-fledged product with all the bells and whistles, but with a limited user base or market. The key is to focus on creating something that meets the needs of your target audience, and that can be released quickly and cheaply.
It doesn’t have to be hard to make a minimum viable product. In fact, it’s better if it’s as simple as possible. The goal is to get feedback from users as soon as possible so that you can make changes to your product and make it better. A good way to think about it is to build the minimum that you need to get useful feedback from users. This could be something as simple as a landing page with a sign-up form, or a basic prototype of your product.
The key is to focus on what makes your product or service special, which is your core value proposition. Once you’ve identified this, you can start thinking about how to build an MVP that will allow you to test and validate your idea.
To help you get started, below are the steps you need to take in order to build an MVP.
Steps in Building a Minimum Viable Product
Step 1: Choose your platform.
This might be a website, a mobile app, or something else. It all depends on what you sell or what you do. Think about how your customers will use your product and start from there.
In this step, you also need to consider what technology you already have in place, as this will make things easier (and cheaper) in the long run. Let’s say you already have a website for your business — in this case, you might want to build an MVP as a web app.
Step 2: Think of a core value proposition.
What sets your product or service apart from the others? Is there something new and exciting? Is it a more convenient or user-friendly alternative to existing solutions? Really think about what it is that will make your product or service stand out from the competition before moving on to the next step.
Step 3: Recognize your target audience.
Who are you making this thing or offering this service for? The way you build your MVP will depend on how you answer this question. Are you targeting consumers? Businesses? A specific niche market? Once you know who you’re making your product for, you can start to think about what they want and what they need.
Step 4: Decide on a method for building your MVP.
There are two popular methods for building an MVP – the “fake door” technique and the “concierge” MVP.
The “fake door” method is all about making a landing page for your product or service and then sending people there. Once they land on your page, you can track how many of them take the desired action (e.g. sign up for a newsletter, download a white paper, etc.). This method is good for testing user engagement, but it doesn’t give you much insight into why users are or aren’t taking the desired action.
The “concierge” MVP is all about providing personalized service to a limited number of users. This could be something as simple as manually handling customer orders, or it might involve providing a more customized experience.
No matter what you choose, the goal is to get your MVP in front of users as soon as possible so you can start getting feedback.
Step 5: Create a prototype.
Your prototype doesn’t have to be anything fancy — a simple wireframe or mockup will do. The important thing is that it’s able to give users an idea of what your product will look and feel like.
Start by making a simple prototype. You can make this quickly and easily, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. To make your prototype, you can use a tool like Balsamiq or MockFlow.
Step 6: Test and iterate.
Once you’ve got your MVP built, it’s time to put it through its paces. Make sure to test it with a variety of users in order to get the most accurate feedback possible.
Additionally, ensure that all your marketing collaterals are accurate. This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s important to make sure that everything from your website copy to your social media posts is accurate and up-to-date. This is to ensure that no one will be confused or get the wrong idea about your product.
Wrap Up
Building a minimum viable product doesn’t have to be hard. By doing the above steps, you can make a minimum viable product that is ready to be tested by users. Just keep things simple and put your attention on getting feedback early and often. With a little work, you’ll be well on your way to making a successful product and effective service.
Did you learn something from this blog post? If so, please tell your friends and co-workers about it! You can also leave a comment below if you have any questions or thoughts.
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