How to test a product and find an investor?

[Raynaldo]

Hey guys,

Hope youre doing awesome!

I've developed a product - something like a superfood for specific pets. Now I do want to test the market acceptance.

So I've created a charge of 20 prototypes of the product, set up a website and store. How would you proceed at this point?

My plan is to create a little facebook/instagram campaign, aiming for like 500-1000 clicks on the product page. I'm also considering to buy like 10 recommendations and some feedback on the product.

The goal is to prove, that the product/niche is working, then find some investors.

Background:
I am running a successfull freelancer business for b2b marketing, sales and market research services in germany - so i do have some skills, experience and business contacts - in my last fulltime job i've been working marketing director. I'm booked like 3-4 working days a week for the rest of the year, spending the rest of my life time creating a new business.

I am able to pay some hundred euro here and there for a freelancer, some ads or whatever, but im able to create all basics by myself and im not willing to invest a big amount of money - business should be paid by investors or bootstrapped.

My endgoal is to create a scalable product-based business (digital or physical product), which doesn't require my personal workforce in the long run. If the mentioned product is not working, I'll have a lot of different business ideas in the pipeline.

Question:
What is wrong with my general and concrete plan and how could i do better?

Thank you for your reading-time. Looking forward to get some replies or interesting contacts.

Much love
Ray

 

[Graybeard]

WELCOME ABOARD ...

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1. Where will you ship from and where can you ship to?
2. Are you compliant with any regulations pet food requires?
3. Do you have any 'proof' documentation?
   • Lab studies
   • Lab Analysis
4. IDK what the issues come with Facebook ads for pet food --look into that.

POC (Proof of Concept)
Testimonials

The rest is all marketing (feel good stuff) for the pet owner's ego mainly I suppose.

There is a lot of regulatory and ad moderation leeway in pet food. Sounds like a winner to me if you do it right ...

 

[Raynaldo]

Yeah, Im producing and selling in germany only for the beginning. As I don't make profits by selling 20 pieces - I do see the test as private production and sale of animal food, which is allowed in germany without registration and regulatory stuff.

If the product will be accepted, I do need an investor which helps with capital and/or knowledge on regulatory stuff/product development/legal setup. Is this an illusion or possible? I have some experience, raising venture capital for established companies, but I have no clue on how to do it best in/before the startup phase... ;-)

I'm staying away from too many concerns as good as I can and just do it, by doing progress every day, solving only problems that are already existing, like for now: how to test such a product in the most efficient way...

 

[Graybeard]

POC again. Sell some and have some numbers to back you up to show the potential of the business plan as well as the investment potential.

Buy some ads and get some shipped.
Get some real feedback.