I built a 1.5K MRR SAAS, here is what I learned.
I'm a Software Engineer by heart and a part-time indie hacker.
As any Software Engineer, I've started to build products from day one.
I've built many websites and services, throughout the past few years, and I make money indirectly through google ads, but one year back, I launched my first SAAS, and slowly I've built up a steady income of around 1.5K or more, it is the IBAN validation API.
I always follow the following points in any product I'm launching, and it was a successful plan for me so far, here are the main points.
Build for market needs, not for your personal satisfaction.
I've built and abandoned many of the great products from my own point of view, why? because I was building to learn a new technology or have something to discuss with my peers on how I've tackled an amazing technical challenge or used cool new trendy technology, Flash news The customers don't care about how cool or trendy the technology you have used, the care more about the value delivered, so my first advise, validate that your idea is solving the target audience problem, which could also be your own problem, not just unjustified desire for build something.
Build less, hit the market faster.
With all means try to avoid completeness before you launch your first version because It will always be never good enough!
launch with fewer features but on a pre-defined schedule, you set to yourself, that way you can also fail fast and learn faster.
I'm asking anyone who is been working on his product or service for months now, why you didn't launch it yet.
Listen to your customers, but not too much
Customers will give you the best ideas after you launch because it represents the value they are waiting for from your product, so listen to them, but carefully, so you don't end up spending your time building for one person's needs.
I've built many features after launch, simply because it was valid and provide real value for the customers and it was suggested by them directly or indirectly.
Marketing is important!
You could have the best product, but without the marketing, no one will know that such a good thing does exist!
Spend more time on marketing, and if you don't know how to do it, either learn or hire/partner with someone who can do it.
SEO is your best friend
Search Engine Optimization is the best source to drive visitors and potential customers to your product, so learn how to do it there are plenty of free resources out there.
I've tried to put the key important points here, but I will tweet more about the lessons, and share the challenges and any other helpful content on my Twitter Account, and will be more than happy to answer any question here 😊
"Build for market needs, not for your personal satisfaction."
Correct. You can have also the latest and fancy frameworks but for most of your users - that means nothing. They want features and functionality - that can be easily learnt and used.
Too often people will begin adding x, y, z to the project - but did you check that is something users want? You can always add more features down the line, but you should focus on the needs of your users and help them do whatever it is they use your app for.
thanks for sharing and congratulations on getting 1.5KMRR. When did you started seo and how long it took you to get your first customer? did you used any SMM as well?
Hi @pdyc the SEO starts from the coding phase, which is Technical SEO.
It takes me almost two months since the first public release to get the first paying customer.
Finally, I used SMM twice for experience for a few amount as testing but found out the potential customers are sessional, and they will come from the organic search mostly.