Questions to ask before you start

Ten honest conversations teach more than a month of planning at home.

Who to ask

People who could really buy, not only friends who will be polite. Neighbours, shopkeepers, parents at the school gate, people in a queue. Ask permission and keep it short.

Questions

What do you do now when you need [this]?

How much do you pay for it, and how often?

What do you like or dislike about how you get it now?

If I offered [your idea] at [price], would you try it? What would worry you?

Who else would want it?

What to listen for

A problem they already feel and pay to solve.
A price they quote without hesitation.
Specific complaints about the current choice.

Be careful of polite answers such as "sounds good". Ask for a promise: "Would you order next week if I made it?".

Write it down

After each talk write the person, what they said and what you learnt. After ten, look for what repeats. Then use the idea check to see what is still unknown.

Common questions

What if people say they would buy but do not?

It is common. The only real test is a sale: offer a small paid trial.

Should I tell them my idea?

Yes. Ideas are not stolen as often as people fear, and the feedback is worth more.

Keep going

This site states no profit figure, start-up cost, licence requirement or loan scheme: you type your own numbers, and the idea pages list questions to ask and things to measure. Interest rates in the worksheets are typed by you. It is not financial, tax or legal advice. Checked 14 November 2026.