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So http://stayinsession.com has been launched for about two weeks now. Here's what I learned:
1. It's possible to make a great product but users are not willing to pay.
I have users reached out to me and said that Session has changed their life for the better. Here's one:
1. It's possible to make a great product but users are not willing to pay.
I have users reached out to me and said that Session has changed their life for the better. Here's one:
But to date, I haven't got single sales from a total complete stranger.
Looking at analytics data, there's at least 20% (mac) of people using it daily, but almost no one signed up. Or if they signed up, they stopped using it after a day or two (potentially not target market)
Looking at analytics data, there's at least 20% (mac) of people using it daily, but almost no one signed up. Or if they signed up, they stopped using it after a day or two (potentially not target market)
2. Game-changing feature.
Based on @spakhm's essay, https://www.defmacro.org/2013/09/26/products.html categorization,
I thought having cross-device sync, analytics, and website blocking is a game-changer.
Some users ended up using Session and don't care about the features
Based on @spakhm's essay, https://www.defmacro.org/2013/09/26/products.html categorization,
I thought having cross-device sync, analytics, and website blocking is a game-changer.
Some users ended up using Session and don't care about the features
3. I wasted a lot of time waiting to launch iOS version and building real-time, offline first synchronization from scratch—thinking both as a game-changer
iOS version is used way significantly less compared to macOS
iOS version is used way significantly less compared to macOS
4. I should generate leads sooner.
I made http://stayinsession.com after the product was ready.
Should've made a landing page with mockups and collect user emails before.
Currently, I can't ask any feedback to an active—non-signed up user as there's no way to reach them
I made http://stayinsession.com after the product was ready.
Should've made a landing page with mockups and collect user emails before.
Currently, I can't ask any feedback to an active—non-signed up user as there's no way to reach them
5. Having too many expectations.
I thought launching on App Store would generate traffic. It isn't.
Tried PH, Reddit, and HN. No success.
It's really demotivating and makes me feels like failure.
Thankfully, @TheEricAnderson gives me clarity and makes me move forward.
I thought launching on App Store would generate traffic. It isn't.
Tried PH, Reddit, and HN. No success.
It's really demotivating and makes me feels like failure.
Thankfully, @TheEricAnderson gives me clarity and makes me move forward.
Now I'm going to do things that don't scale—reaching an individual target market directly. I have a list of 64 potential users that I compiled yesterday.
If I don't even get 1 paying customer from this, I probably would stop working on Session or change the business model.
If I don't even get 1 paying customer from this, I probably would stop working on Session or change the business model.
That's all. Hope y'all learned something from my experience 
Extra: one data point where I realized that free version is good enough for active—non paying users.
