Reducing risk of selling by PRE SELLING

Adam Robinson dropped a gem with his 3-step startup formula:

1. Sell before you build
2. Build as little as possible
3. Do things that don’t scale

Marketing analysis

This flips the traditional “build then sell” mindset. By selling early, you validate demand before wasting time and money. It’s lean startup meets direct response marketing—proof before polish.

Why it works

• Forces real customer feedback fast
• Saves resources on unproven ideas
• Builds an audience before launch
• Creates urgency and focus around solving real pain

Examples

• Dropbox started with a demo video before coding.
• Zappos tested by taking photos of shoes from stores.
• Buffer sold subscriptions before writing a single line of code.
• Tesla collected deposits long before delivering cars.