Is it okay to launch a product before all the features are ready?
Mila Dymnikova
105 replies
There's been a lot of great discussions about launch advice.
Many people have said that launching early is better than waiting to have everything perfect.
I'm launching a product tracking tool soon – while the core functions are working and we've got the minimal version (or MVP) of the product, I feel a bit shy about promoting the features that are not fully built.
What do you think?
Replies
Karol Andruszków@karol_andruszkow
There will always be some features needed, especially in a rapidly changing tech world. 9 years ago we released BOWWE to the market with basic features and they helped us build it - with their needs. I recommend this approach.
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@karol_andruszkow Thanks for sharing. So how do you make the decision on what features to include in the MVP? I feel like the answer might be really simple: the core functionality works 😄
@mila_dymnikova In my case it was that I already had some potential clients for the tool before it even was created. I knew exactly what they needed after hours of talking to them.
They were by old business partners and needed a website & didn't want to play on their own with WordPress as it lacked flexibility without proper programming knowledge, so I did it for them. After a time, as businesses grew I thought it would be easier if I just handled them a tool with which they can do it themselves - NoCode.
@karol_andruszkow That sounds like a perfect execution of creating a product. I'm sure there were still enough challenges in between the successes but this is motivating :)
@mila_dymnikova It was a nice start idea, and there were definitely many ups and downs, but nothing we could not face as passionate.
I think launching early is a good strategy to get feedback from your potential customers and validate your product idea.
However, you should also be transparent about the features that are not fully built and set clear expectations for your users. You can use phrases like "coming soon", "in development", or "beta" to indicate that your product is not complete yet.
You can also ask your users for their opinions and suggestions on improving your product and making it more valuable for them.
This way, you can build trust and loyalty with your users and show them that you care about their needs and problems.
@deluar_001 Yeah thank you for your suggestion – even just a small phrase like "In Development" feels like it's honest but not under promoting the feature. Thanks for sharing!
Companies might obtain an edge in the market by releasing a product before all of its features are complete. This allows them to begin making money, building their brand, and attracting early adopters as they continue to develop the product and add features.
@alicew88a Yeah, there's a lot of advice for startups to "build in public" and "build a community" so I guess you'll have to launch early and manage the story of how complete the product really is.
Wouldnt recommend that
@hashir_ahmed1 So any advice on a checklist you use to know when it is time to launch? :)
It is absolutely ok. In fact that is what everyone does
Launching early is always the best option unless and until you are working on something groundbreaking.
Besides that, showcasing features in the pipeline is fine unless you overdo it.
In fact, by launching early, you get early feedback which lets you build, prioritize, and ship the right features. Even modify the nuances of feature assumptions you would already have.
@senthil99nathan yeah I guess it's the way you communicate it, and early feedback is sooo valuable. How do you feel about adding "In development" tag/phrase to features that are not ready yet?
@mila_dymnikova , I'd say not to. You can continue updating your feature list on your site as you progress.
For eg, if you are currently building a chat feature, add it without blatantly stating that it is in progress. This way you will always have something new every week or fortnight to show your prospects. And to add on, adding "In development/In progress" doesn't really give a great impression.
So instead of stating, when you go on a demo call with a prospect, focus on all the features you already have and just leave a note somewhere in between on the features that are in progress in a cohesive way. This should do the job if you ask me. :)
Absolutely! Launching a product before all the features are ready can be a strategic move in many cases. It allows you to gather valuable feedback from early adopters and understand their needs better.
It also helps in creating buzz and generating interest around your product, which can be beneficial for building a strong user base. So, while it's important to have a solid foundation, launching with a minimum viable product and iterating based on user feedback can be a smart approach to deliver a successful and customer-centric product.
Wishing you all the best! 🚀✨
You have the option to relaunch after 6 months if you release a major feature. So it will take you more than 6 months to finish the product you can launch an MVP to start collecting feedback.
However, it is important to have a working onboarding to launch. From my experience launching a landing page with a waiting list doesn't work on Product hunt.
Absolutely - you can get some great feedback from users. You can always launch again after 6 months too
I would say yes, so that you can get early feedback and fix early. It's okay to be shy, and you can always be honest if you're still working on the feature or if the feature is not yet ready.
Not only okay but also recommended.
Interesting comments here. However, I've seen products launched here with the core promise of a specific feature and while trying it the feature was not yet available. I lost track of it and sadly, interest. I think we need to act fast or launch, and ask for feedback without promising things are not available.
@andres_rivera3 Yesss. Yeah the loss of traction is partly what's made me feel unsure about advertising features that aren't built yet. Do you have any thoughts on how that product could have communicated better about the state of its development?
@mila_dymnikova Yes. It could have included an explanation about the second release of features with specific dates if possible. Or have an email address request form to get notified as soon as the product is released. Meanwhile, you could nurture the lead with more info about the company, goals, plans, etc.
Launching to get initial product feedback is really important than building out everything and not have the relevant audience to use.
Congrats on approaching the launch stage of your product tracking tool – that's no small feat!
Your hesitations are common among entrepreneurs, but let me reiterate some of the wisdom you've mentioned: launching early is often better than waiting for perfection. Here are a few reasons why -
Customer Feedback: By releasing an MVP, you open the door for great feedback from real users. This feedback will help you refine the product and prioritise features for future development based on what you learn
Market Validation: An MVP allows you to validate your product's fit in the market. You'll see if there's a real demand for what you're offering, and you can make the necessary pivots early on if needed.
Building a Community: Launching early gives you an opportunity to start building a community around your product. This initial user base can become your product advocates, helping to promote your tool through word-of-mouth.
Regarding your concern about promoting features that aren't fully built, I'd suggest focusing on the core features that are ready. Make sure users understand the value proposition of your current product. At the same time, it's perfectly fine to tease upcoming features. In fact, sharing your roadmap can build anticipation and keep early users engaged as they see the future growth planned for your product.
Remember, perfection is a moving target, and products evolve over time. The feedback loop from launching will get you closer to a product that's perfect for your users, faster than working in isolation. Best of luck with your launch!
@charlie_mack When you put it like this, launching is just the most positive productive thing to do! Thanks for sharing the benefits to look forward to! I particularly like your advice on sharing a roadmap and teasing the upcoming features – makes me feel a bit more confident rather than nervous!
Yess! As long as you're transparent about the product's current state and communicate with audience which features are still in development it should be fine. Launching product in earlier stages can be a strategic move to gather feedback so you can have better overview of what direction you are moving :)
Straight up, yes. It's pretty common in the tech space. Even giants like Facebook and Twitter started with a MVP (Minimum Viable Product) approach. Launch early, get user feedback, iterate, and improve. Just ensure the core functionality is solid and provides value to your users.
@jayphelpsme 🚀 yep core functionality is already in use for our other products/websites. So I guess just ship it!
Your competitors are doing it, why shouldn't you? Just keep those users in the loop with updates on new features. They'll appreciate the transparency. Don't forget, done is better than perfect.
Think about the potential retention and churn. What I think matters is you have an entire product loop closed as part of your MVP.
@alexiscollado Yesss "entire product loop" is how I've been thinking about this launch. I think that we have the MVP-product loop completed and the additional features are sitting in a wider/broader loop.
@mila_dymnikova That's a great start! If you've nailed down the must-haves in order to launch, then go for it and you can finally have some early feedback loops to refine the product even more :) good luck Mila! 😄
I support your concerns! But why not if your main functionality works correctly and does not discomfort your users?
In addition, you can use unavailable features to interest users for further contact.
In the end, put a "Beta" icon on your site :D