Ask HN: How to validate a business idea before building the product?

[prettyweird]

I'm working on a B2B product in a specific niche (http://www.untab.io). Before spending a ton on development or marketing, I'd like to get some indication of whether this is a real problem beyond my own circle of friends and colleagues.

There are some standard ideas on how to find potential customers - e.g. through social networks, personal connections, etc, but I'm curious what has worked for others. Do you cold call? If so, how do you find the right people, especially in larger companies? Do you use paid advertising? Post on social media?

[reflect]

This is a loaded question but to try and be helpful I would say just focus on finding your early adopters - who is actively looking for a way to implement your solution, or who has cobbled together an imperfect solution on their own, or who has the extra budget to easily justify your solution?

Now where can you reach these people? Where are they on the internet? Play where they play. e.g. You already found this large group of potential interested parties - why not post a Show HN? Subreddits? Betalist? etc.

[prettyweird]

Thanks, didn't know about Betalist, will check it out.