0007. Pace: Show or Tell.
Mastering the balance between building and sharing your work is crucial—strategically deciding when to market, engage with feedback, and measure progress, all while maintaining a focused development.
Between Making and Talking: Finding Balance as a Builder.
As a builder, whether you’re creating a brand-new product or adding new features to something that already exists, one of the most overlooked aspects of the process is how much time you spend talking about what you're building. It's easy to get caught up in making and creating, thinking that all the value is in the product itself, but I’ve learned the hard way that the pace between making and talking is just as crucial. And it's not just about marketing or getting feedback – it's about understanding how to balance these two aspects and when to introduce them at different stages in your work.
Building the Right Pace Works For You.
When I first started creating, I didn’t really pay attention to this balance. I would focus on getting the product right – getting all the features I envisioned in place, thinking that once it was finished, I’d suddenly figure out how to talk about it. But that’s not how it works. You don’t want to wait until your product is done to start talking about it. That was my biggest mistake.
When you’re building, it’s easy to think that everything needs to be perfectly shaped before you share it with anyone. But in reality, talking about your work while you’re building it can accelerate the process. Here’s the thing: the act of talking – whether it’s through marketing, creating awareness, or simply getting feedback – isn’t separate from the making. It’s part of it.
If I could go back, I’d change the way I approached this. I would have started talking about my ideas earlier, asking for feedback sooner, and used the process of sharing to inform the next steps of my making. And that’s what I want to explore today: how you can do the same, and why it’s crucial.
The Right Time to Engage Your Audience.
The first question that comes up is: When do you start talking about your product? Should you do it once it's fully ready, or do you talk about it during development?
Here’s my approach: you start earlier than you think. You don’t have to have a perfect product to begin talking about it. In fact, you shouldn't wait until everything is finished. Here’s why:
You Build Awareness Early – Getting people to know about your idea before it’s fully done gives you an early audience. It’s not about promoting the finished product at this point – it’s about getting people to see what you’re working on and piquing their interest. It’s about sharing the vision, not the final outcome.
You Start Getting Feedback Early – Feedback, even if it’s early-stage, is incredibly valuable. People can tell you what resonates, what they’re excited about, and, equally important, what they don’t care about. The sooner you get this feedback, the faster you can iterate and improve.
You Can Validate Your Assumptions – Often, we make assumptions about what users want or what problems our product solves. Sharing your work early allows you to validate those assumptions in real-time. You learn if people actually care about the thing you’re building, and you get a chance to pivot before investing too much time.
MVP—Measuring and Iterating While You Build.
Once you’ve talked about your idea and gotten initial reactions, you move into what many people call the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) stage. But what I’ve found is that the MVP isn’t just a product that “works” – it’s about creating something that serves the basic function of your idea and gathering real data on its performance.
When you’re in this phase, you need to measure everything. It’s not just about hoping for the best or pushing out a “barely functional” version. You want to track user behavior, see how people interact with your product, and get feedback on what’s working and what isn’t.
But here's the thing that a lot of people get wrong: Don’t just look for feedback when something is broken. Instead, look for feedback in all areas – from ease of use to the value it provides. The feedback you get in the MVP stage is invaluable for guiding future iterations.
In the MVP phase, you’ll get more feedback and learn faster than you would from any other phase. It’s a time when you can quickly adjust based on real-world usage, not just hypothetical scenarios.
Feedback Management is The Lifeblood of Development.
Feedback isn’t just some formality; it’s the lifeblood of your product’s development. But not all feedback is created equal, and it’s important to manage it wisely.
Here’s how I’ve learned to manage feedback more effectively:
Qualitative vs. Quantitative Feedback: Both are crucial, but they serve different purposes. Qualitative feedback is about the “why” – it helps you understand the user’s feelings, pain points, and motivations. Quantitative feedback, on the other hand, is about the “what” – it’s about metrics, like conversion rates, clicks, or engagement. Both need to be tracked, and together, they give you the full picture.
Listening to the Right People: Not all feedback is equally valuable. Focus on feedback from people who represent your target audience. Sure, it’s tempting to listen to everyone, but if it’s someone who doesn’t fit your ideal user profile, their feedback might not be as relevant.
Avoid Paralysis by Analysis: Don’t let feedback overwhelm you. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to satisfy every single suggestion, but this can pull you off course. Instead, focus on trends and patterns, not isolated pieces of feedback.
Duality of Making and Talking in Sync.
Here’s the real secret I’ve learned over time: making and talking about what you’re building are not separate phases; they should work in tandem. You don’t just make in a vacuum and then suddenly “talk” when it’s ready. Instead, talk early, and let your audience be a part of the process. They’ll give you the insights you need to build something better, faster.
To strike the right balance, you need to develop a pace that allows both things to happen simultaneously. That means setting clear milestones for both your product development and your communication efforts. For instance:
When you’re in the early stages, talk about your problem-solving process and why it matters. You’re not promoting the product yet, but you’re planting the seeds of curiosity and building anticipation.
When you move to MVP, start sharing how your product solves the problem, but don’t pretend it’s perfect. Be transparent. You’re sharing an evolving process, not a finished product.
As you refine the product, continue updating your audience. Use their feedback, but don’t hold back from making the next release public just because it’s not 100% perfect. Perfection doesn’t exist, and your users will appreciate seeing the progress.
Creating a Healthy Flow Between Making and Talking.
In my experience, the earlier you start finding your audience, the faster your product gains traction. Here are a few strategies that worked for me:
Start with Your Network: Talk to people you already know. Share your ideas and get their initial thoughts. Your first users don’t need to be strangers – they just need to be people who care about the problem you’re solving.
Engage with Niche Communities: Find places where your target audience already hangs out. This could be niche online forums, social media groups, or Slack communities. Be genuinely helpful, share your journey, and invite people to test your product.
Content Marketing: You don’t have to start running ads from day one. Instead, create content that speaks to the problem you're solving. Start building an audience around the conversation.
To sum it up, here’s the core idea: The pace between making and talking should flow naturally. Don’t wait for the perfect product to start sharing. By talking about your work early, you invite feedback, build awareness, and ensure that your making process is aligned with your audience’s needs. Remember: It’s not just about marketing; it’s about creating an ongoing dialogue that informs your product development. Find your rhythm, involve your audience, and adjust as you go. That’s the key to making the most of your efforts as a product maker.