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SaaS startup go-to-market checklist

The build-before-you-build plan: nail one painful problem, price it, and get your first paying customers before the code is perfect.

12 stepsOrdered by phase · personalized by your co-founder

1Validate the problem before the product

  • Write down the exact job your software does and the pain of NOT having it — in the customer's words.
  • Interview 10–15 people in your target segment. If fewer than half describe the problem as urgent, change the segment before writing code.
  • Pick a niche: a specific industry + specific role is easier to sell to than 'everyone'.

2Price from value, not effort

  • Price against what the customer currently pays (software, freelancer, manual hours) — your price should be a fraction of that.
  • Offer a monthly plan with annual discount; avoid lifetime deals while you still need pricing data.
  • Put a price on the page early — real pricing filters real buyers.

3Scope the smallest sellable MVP

  • List the 3 features that make the core promise true; everything else waits.
  • Define your build as user stories with acceptance criteria, not a feature wishlist.
  • Decide your stack and integrations early so you don't rebuild later.

4First customers, not first users

  • Launch where your niche already gathers: communities, directories, newsletters, local meetups.
  • Offer setup help as your unfair advantage — a human touch small SaaS can beat big tools with.
  • Charge from day one: 5 paying customers teach you more than 500 free signups.

Don't guess your way through this

Tell your co-founder your idea and country — it will turn this checklist into your personalized Journey, run the market research, and produce the documents for you.

Start free with this template