How to Know if Your Business Idea Will Actually Sell

You’ve got a business idea buzzing around your head and you can’t stop thinking about it. Maybe it’s a course, maybe it’s a membership, maybe it’s something you’d love to create one day.

But here’s the niggling thought that keeps you stuck:
“What if nobody bloody buys it?”

Trust me, I have been there and I totally understand how the thought of pouring your time and energy into something that doesn't land feels scary (and like a big waste of time). The good news is: you don’t need to become Mystic Meg, you've just got to learn how to test your idea.

Here are three simple ways to validate your idea:

1. Are people already asking you about it?

If you’ve got friends, clients or random people asking for your advice on a topic, that’s a big flashing sign that there’s demand. People don’t ask questions about things they don’t care about. Maybe you are the go to in your friend group for all things dog behaviour?

2. Could you sell a mini version of it?

Instead of trying to build the full all singing all dancing course or programme, strip it down. Could you run a live workshop or a one-hour masterclass on just one part of your idea? If people are willing to pay for the starter version, you’ll know they’re likely to want more.

3. Would you pay for it?

This one sounds obvious, but ask yourself: if you were in your audience’s shoes, would you hand over your card for this? Or would you scroll on by? If you can’t sell yourself on it, you’ll struggle to sell anyone else. I always tell people to create the thing they wish they had when they started learning about their specialist topic.

The bottom line

The truth is, no idea is guaranteed to sell. But you can make smart moves to test the waters before you dive in.

Start small. Ask questions. Put out a tiny offer. The worst case? You learn what doesn’t land. The best case? You’ve just found yourself a paying audience and your idea has turned into income.