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Why is it so hard to come to the decision to market first and build last.
r/SaaS
7/13/2025
Content Summary
The post discusses the common struggle of prioritizing marketing/distribution before product development in SaaS startups. The author shares lessons from 1.5 years of unsuccessful building, emphasizing the importance of validating distribution channels first. Commenters debate the chicken-and-egg problem of needing a product to market while requiring feedback to build, with solutions proposed including early user validation through pre-sales and maintaining parallel development-marketing feedback loops.
Opinion Analysis
Mainstream opinion emphasizes validating distribution channels before full product development. Key debate centers around the chicken-and-egg problem:
- Pro-marketing-first camp argues early user validation prevents wasted development (u/JackDoubleB, u/JollyTrash7271)
- Balanced approach supporters advocate concurrent building/marketing through MVPs (u/OpenKnowledge2872)
- Contradiction exists between the excitement of infinite possibilities in building vs harsh reality of market validation
- Notable conflict between idealistic product vision and pragmatic market demands
SAAS TOOLS
| SaaS | URL | Category | Features/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juju | https://www.jujuinsights.com/ | Startup Insights Platform | Selling product from beginning, validating target users early |
USER NEEDS
Pain Points:
- Difficulty validating market demand before building
- Losing momentum by pivoting without distribution channels
- Struggling to acquire users after product development
Problems to Solve:
- Avoiding wasted development time on unvalidated ideas
- Maintaining product-market fit through distribution validation
- Balancing building vs marketing efforts effectively
Potential Solutions:
- Validate target users through early selling conversations
- Maintain parallel development and marketing feedback loops
- Focus on distribution channels before full product development
GROWTH FACTORS
Effective Strategies:
- Early user validation through pre-sales conversations
- Iterative development based on market feedback
Marketing & Acquisition:
- Selling product concepts before full development
- Pivoting target markets based on real user feedback
Monetization & Product:
- Avoiding feature creep through market validation
- Building stronger product-market fit via user interviews
User Engagement:
- Direct customer conversations for feedback loops
- Rapid iteration based on early adopter responses