Six months ago, I wrote an indiehackersmanifesto on this topic, which serves as a value system for those who choose to create products independently.
1. The product's scenario must be highly sticky. Creating another baby face generator is possible, but it’s a one-time purchase scenario. People will buy it, have fun, and never return. Real MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) and ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) are derived from LTV (Lifetime Value) and churn rates.
2. Create what can sell. This is a wide rule. The idea is to create products you know how to sell. For example, I don’t know how to sell oranges, so I’m not in that business. But I know how to sell social interaction tools; I deeply understand how people behave online. That’s why I’m building upvote.club — I know what to offer them.
3. You need the largest market with the least competition. The idea is simple: creating products for small markets is just as difficult as for large ones. There won’t be an easy ride either way, but when you confine yourself to a small market, you’ll have no way out. It’s one of the least rewarding things you can do.
4. The perfect product doesn’t exist. However, there’s a formula: make 50% based on what your customers need and 50% based on your vision. If the balance is off, you’ll either end up doing custom development or making your product only for you.
– Your ideal workflow should look like this: Ideal -> Release -> Share -> Feedback -> Improve -> Release (repeat).
5. Paul Mit wrote that creating a product today is 5% development and 95% marketing. I agree. The era of development is over; we’re in the era of ideas and marketing. Before you make a product, you need to figure out how you’ll distribute it.
6. Don’t know what to make? Improve what irritates you daily. This is a very universal rule — Create for your own sake.
7. Don’t launch products without functional payment systems. It’s a myth that you can create a landing page and earn from it. You’ll only earn frustration when customers come, but you don’t receive a single payment. Even you have a waitlist. Only 10% who join a waitlist goes to real live product.
IndieHackers Manifesto on Choosing a Product for Solo Launch

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