Knowing if you have product-market fit (PMF) can be quite the adventure, and it's important to remember that PMF isn't a simple yes-or-no state but rather a spectrum of confidence that can change over time. Here are four signs that can help you gauge whether you're on the right track:
- User Disappointment: If you were to ask your users how they would feel if they could no longer use your product and a significant portion—Sean Ellis suggests 40%—respond with “very disappointed,” you might be onto something special!
- Relative Utility: When comparing your product to other solutions for a key function it serves, you want to see a positive skew in responses. Ideally, users should find your product to be “Much Better” or “Somewhat Better” than the alternatives.
- Behavioral Evidence: Understanding the actual behavior of your users is crucial. By asking them what product or tool they used last time for the task your product is designed for, and why, you can get insights into whether your product is being chosen over others.
- Affection, Utility, and Usage: It's hard to imagine achieving PMF if people don't feel some degree of affection for your product, find it useful, and actually use it.
Remember, these are just indicators and should be used to measure your progress towards PMF. It's also essential to iterate on your customer profile and the problem you're solving continuously. Keep your spirits high and your surveys ready, and you'll be well on your way to finding that sweet spot of product-market fit!
