This document provides 10 tips for startups to get out of their building and find customers: 1) Don't rely on friends/family, 2) Demo your product publicly, 3) Interview potential customers, 4) Locate your office near customers, 5) Host parties to meet people, 6) Talk to experts, 7) Find decision makers, 8) Listen to customer demands, 9) Use pre-orders and analytics to validate demand, 10) Ask others to introduce you to potential customers. The overall message is that startups need to engage directly with customers outside of their building to build the right product and validate demand.

1. GET
UNCOMFORTABLE
#GetOutOfTheBuilding

2. #GetOutOfTheBuilding
1. Don’t Ask Your Uncle
2. Set Up A Booth, Do A Public Demo
3. Interview Potential Customers
4. Put Your Office Where Your Customers Are
5. Throw A Party
6. Talk To Experts In The Field
7. Find The Decision Maker
8. Listen To What Customers Are Demanding
9. Pre-Order, Landing Pages, Analytics
10. Ask for the introduction

3. Find Your
Community
#GetOutOfTheBuilding

4. Be Where
The Customers Are
#GetOutOfTheBuilding

5. Use the Crowd

6. The goal of a startup is to figure out the
right thing to build – the thing that
customers want and will pay for – as
quickly as possible.
-eric ries
@XcellentTea