Fake Door Experiment
Fake Door Experiment
Fake It 'Til You Make It: Unveiling True Customer Desires
👋 Hey there, I'm Felix, I'm stoked to share some Product-Market-Fit experiments and Growth Hacks wisdom I learned while launching my startups. Get ready for experimentation 🧪💥🦄 !
Background: The "Fake Door" experiment is designed to gauge the Initial Level of Interest in a product or service that hasn't been developed yet. By creating artifacts or indications that the product exists and is available, businesses can test if customers would be interested in buying or using it without actually producing it.
Details:
Experiment Name: Fake Door
Stage: Idea Validation
Type: Qualitative
Benefits: Measure genuine interest in a new product or service without investing in its development.
Risks: Customers might be disappointed or frustrated when they realize the product isn't available.
Purpose: Determine the viability and potential demand for a new offering.
Setup Time & Resources: Minimal to Moderate; requires creating convincing promotional materials or listings.
Evidence Level: Moderate; based on customer reactions and order requests.
Method: List or advertise the product as if it's available, but without actually offering it.
Prototype: Promotional materials or product listings.
Procedure:
Define Objectives: Determine what you aim to learn. Are you testing the appeal of the product, its price point, or its placement?
Prototype Creation: Design promotional materials or listings that make the product seem available. This could be a menu item, an online listing, or an advertisement.
Prototype Testing: Ensure that the fake listing or advertisement is convincing and aligns with the brand's other offerings.
Experiment Execution: Monitor customer reactions and track how many attempt to purchase or inquire about the product.
Results Analysis: Analyze the number of inquiries or attempted purchases. Consider customer feedback and reactions to determine the product's potential success.
Example: McDonald's wanted to gauge interest in a potential new menu item, McSpaghetti. Instead of preparing the dish, they simply added it to their menu. When customers attempted to order McSpaghetti, they were informed it wasn't available and were offered a complimentary burger as compensation.