My product is finished, but I am afraid of launching it

I was the same. Here's the thing - as a founder you need be as detached from your product as possible. I'm a product-OBSESSED founder, but at the end of the day it's a business and we have to launch and get feedback to iterate quickly.

I'm not sure what you're afraid of. Unless you start reaching out, you not gonna have any data and you not gonna know how your product is doing in reality...

If you think that cold email is not a good strategy (I agree), try a different one. What about for example going to other libraries within your city and showing how your product works to librarian one by one? You might get valuable feedback about price/proposition/etc.

If I could redo one thing in the last year, it would be to find a way to launch sooner. It's hard to get engagement from users. The quicker you can start that process the better off you'll be.

For me launch is mostly a marketing work... if you not familiar with marketing basics it can be stressful and challenging. Write down a business plan first, then create a marketing strategy. ChatGPT can provide really great templates and mostly suggest "okay" ideas. Both can be done in a few hours or in a few weeks, depending on how deeply you want to go.

I launched many products and services before, both underground hoppy projects (for 100-200 user total) and big campaigns (between like 4-10k new active user or customer / day).

Cold e-mails just a tool between numerous other possible solutions, and just a minor part of a launch strategy / user journey / marketing strategy: the reactions what you are waiting for will not depend on the question you should write cold e-mails or not, or what should you write.

I think the most important question is your goals. How many potential users do want to reach / convert in the first day? the first week? in the first month?

Cold e-mails can work with an extremely high conversion rate if you identified your target group properly and the product has a real market fit, but it can requires insane amount of time and energy in the long term if it starts to work... follow up / questions / direct support / any other requirements from the contacts / etc.

If you want more than 50 users in the first month, you should definitely thinking a bit more about a complex long term strategy and other channels. If you fine with a slow growing strategy, and want to build deeper connections with users and get some feedbacks first, then cold e-mails will work fine (if you have proper e-mail list).

Just told them the truth. Who are you, why do you write to them, how and what did you built, what do you expect from them. Also attach some cool product or target group related meme or some interesting facts and it will be less annoying.

Check out: "How to launch (again and again)"
YC Partner Kat Manalac presents on how startups should think about launching and why you should do it repeatedly.
https://www.ycombinator.com/library/6i-how-to-launch-again-and-again

First, you have to know your product audiences, find a small group of them, and involve them. their feedback is the most valuable thing you may have for your product. analyze their opinion about your product and fit it. good luck

Congrats on finishing the project! I would suggest if you're worried about cold outreach maybe try to go to the librarians directly in person to try to pitch it. They would be easily accessible in a public library for instance. You could also try to join online forums/communities for librarians. There you could get more direct access to potential users while also building up your credibility so they would be more likely to respond. Just make sure you provide some value first in the community (i.e. answering questions others post, commenting on people's posts, providing interesting articles that members might find useful, etc) that was members will be more likely to hear you out.

Good luck!

Since you are a librarian yourself. Have you a considered contacting the 10 closest libraries near where you live/work to have a networking breakfast/knowledge sharing session/guest speaker relevant to your librarian guests? That way you can introduce your product as the "sponsor" of the event to the attendees. You could make it a rotating event where next month it's hosted at one of your peer's libraries.
Don't make it just about your product, but also sharinf best practice or advice/warnings relevant to your industry.

First congratulations @andrenipa!

You've recognized that the cat is ready to get out of the bag!! And I imagine after reading all of these great comments, you have a ton of ideas on how to let it out.

You can do it. You will do it. You must do it.

But don't worry, you don't have to do it all at once.

The thing is, there is no, there is no such thing as "The Launch." That is to say, launching isn't a one time thing.

As an example, I started launching my own product, FastMonitor.io about a week ago, immediately after last of the showstopper bugs had stopped twitching. And now I will continue to launch every day. This post is even something of a launch to new readers. But enough about me.

Many founders are afraid they will be doomed if "The Launch" doesn't go well.

But the truth is, the worst thing that can happen is... after you tell some people about your amazing new product that's going to make their lives better... the pitch doesn't land and they forget about it, and then you have to tell some more.

Which is, oddly, what you will have to do if it does go well too.

After "The Launch", you'll quickly notice that if 3 users sign up, you want 5, if 5 signup, you'll want 10. If 100, you'll want 1000. Which is great, but unfortunately if you don't do anything new, you'll probably get new zero customers that week.

And since your first launches only reached a tiny number of people, there will still be a huge audience that hasn't heard of your product, nd each new launch is a chance to tighten your offer and your funnel. To pivot slightly. To find the ah-ha moment, and then to make a first impression on a new audience.

So launch early and launch often.

Tell us indie hackers what it is that you're launching. We'll kindly roast you. Then tell another Liberian. Figure out why they didn't jump to give you money. Then drive to three local libraries. Each stop a little launch, a little chance to make a great first impression on someone new.

Notice what they understand about your offer, and what they don't, and what their objections are. Fix some of those things. Launch again on linkedin and facebook. Notice and fix again. Find a forum full of librarians. Post valuable information incessantly. Find a discord or a reddit. Launch on each. Go to ALA events (assuming you're in the US). Have another launch there. Make a youtube video - that's a launch too.

So don't worry. Each launch is a little chance to make a first impression on someone new. To notice how that impression worked, to die in the fire embarrassment, grow a thicker callus, and live again to tweak your product or offer, and launch again another day.

Go get em! 🚀🚀🚀🚀

( Oh yeah, be sure to watch the video recommended by @stevenkkim - https://www.ycombinator.com/library/6i-how-to-launch-again-and-again )

Business are about profit, not perfect products. If you have your saas to the point that it's a useful tool that solves some problem, or gives people value etc etc, then launch it man!

I completely understand your apprehension about sharing your work. It's common to feel a bit nervous when introducing something new. Have you thought about reaching out to a few close colleagues initially to gather feedback and perhaps even obtain testimonials?

Hey, A! You have described the sales model you need by explaining your product in a simple way. Just approach via email or eventually via socials as librarian that's understanding the job of librarians. You have a solution an librarian needs. Be a company that's selling and guaranteeing, but be a person in the first place, approach as the librarian. Present it simple so "baby can understand it". Set the acceptable good price. Give free trial 7 days. Invite them to try it and ask them to write you back their opinion or suggestions.

Just launch, big launch is an overkill for startups. Do not overthink it. You will most likely re-launch your product few more times in near future.

You need to learn. Get some feedback, give it to people. Find librarians on social networks and give them the link. ProductHunt does not sound ideal indeed. Drop those cold emails, just make them straight to the point without the usual "fluf".

Congratulations andrenipa on completing your new product for librarians! Your firsthand experience working in a library and using the service adds authenticity and value. Remember, your passion and dedication will shine through in your outreach efforts, and librarians will likely appreciate your solution designed specifically for their needs.

Good Luck !

Hi congrats on your product. Hone in on 10 contacts librarians in your region, if you need leads/lists of librarians there are loads of resources. Write a simple 3 step sequence of emails about your story, why you built it, the problem it solves for you, and offer them a test drive/download/sign up, over the 3 emails tweak them slightly by drip feeding a few extra services you have on your website.

Once you have done those 10 as a sample, do another 10, then another 10 to get your head into outbounding, and I reckon if you come across genuine enough you'll get replies and interest.

Once you'vve emailed pick some to follow up by phone or visit, they won't bite.

A friend of mine is a solution consultant and he built a demo support app he built for himself and is doing really well now.

I have done sales for many years so happy to proof read your emails if you want and give you some tips best of luck!

Congratulations on finishing your project.
It's normal and common to feel like that, however, the desire to help others working in the library must drive you to reach out to them. Even if it just helps those in the library, it is worth launching on PH, friends may tell friends who can tell friends

Hey,
congrats on finishing your product sounds really cool!
Would you share it to understand what it is?
I am currently doing cold email I feel your pain.
Don't over complicate it.. there is a way to enjoy it but at the end of the day.. just do it ;)

It's really normal to get nervous before launching a new product. If you don't have an audience or waitlist already, it will likely take some time before your product gains traction. So actually not much can go wrong!

If you're nervous about offering your product to potential users, try instead to ask them if they have 30 minutes to give you feedback on a product you're working on. Almost everybody will be happy to checkout out what you're building and try to help you out!

You could consider two paths: Either build up an audience before launch. Connect with people, exchange war stories, tell them what you're doing, and make sure to collect emails in an "inform me when ready" style landing page.

Whenever you're launching (on whatever platform), inform your readers and ask for their feedback and support.

The other option... Just launch it.

It is perfectly fine to launch it first then grow your reach.

You can have several launches but never be afraid
Because of your target audience product hunt may not be perfect for you
But you can find forums or places that librarians are active and talk about your product in those places!

Wish you the best

Yes, I've had a similar experience; advice: start small, try engaging close colleagues or friends in the field to get feedback, and gradually expand your audience.

If you know online or even journals resources which are used by your target audience, it may worse to reach them by publishing an article. Maybe some of them would require money for advertisement, however, you've spend time and just burning it because of not doing enough on wide launch, will be disappointing. Your target likes to read, use it.
Free marketing it is not just cold emails, ask ChatGPT.
Go to YouTube, propose tool for librarians` channels.
Be brave, and try it all!

Don't hesitate, just ship it. launching isn't the issue, marketing is.

Just rip the band-aid off and go for it! You're correct in saying cold emails are annoying and often ignored, but sometimes worth a punt. Have you explored alternatives to cold emailing?