---
title: How to test your product — Sky's The Limit Help Center
description: This guide will help you work with a mentor to research ways to manufacture your products, get quotes using your designs, and test out and choose manufacturers.
---

###### [Product Development](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/project-guides?category=product-development)

# How to test your product

This project guide helps two Sky’s the Limit members work together through four meetings as they collaborate to test a new product.

### **Meeting 1: ***Identify your customers*

**Before this meeting: **

- Make sure that you’ve had an intro meeting. If you need help navigating your first meeting, visit this [**Guide to Your First Meeting**](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/volunteer-resources/guide-to-your-first-mentoring-or-advising-session)**. **
- Review: [**Customer Segmentation**](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/customer-development/customer-segmentation)

**In this meeting:**

- Use the [**Customer Deepdive**](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WeVr2EQO9j7kXlem2C0WhjR3QcZB5YEEJYFiNRq3JfM/edit) guide to help you identify your customers. Think through how your product or service works to solve a problem in their lives. 
- Look for three different groups of customers that could use your product. It may be helpful to think of three existing customers you have or people you know.

**After this meeting:**

- **Sleep on it **😴 - Review the guide and see if you’ve missed anything or if there’s anything you’d like to add.
- Note any agreed-upon next steps.

 

### **Meeting 2: ***Test your idea with customers*

**Before this meeting: **

- Review the following:
  
    - [**Lean Startup Methodology** ](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/business-planning/lean-startup)
    - [**How to Improve a Product** ](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/product-development/how-to-improve-a-product)

**In this meeting:**

- Complete the [**Testing Your Idea Tool** ](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BMF7nQ9srB2ibSjrkTPgEJ3m_9RGvnkCOHSi1a1Cq2g/edit?usp=sharing)
  
    - Make your own copy to fill in during this meeting

**After this meeting:**

- **Sleep on it **😴 - Review the guide and see if you’ve missed anything or if there’s anything you’d like to add.
- Note any agreed-upon next steps.

 

### **Meeting 3: ***Test with actual customers*

**Before this meeting: **

- Review the following:
  
    - [**16 Ways to Sell** ](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/marketing-and-sales/16-ways-to-sell?rq=16%20ways%20to%20sell)

**In this meeting:**

- Identify the three best sales channels to test your product by selling it to actual customers.
- Make a plan to gather customer feedback through a survey or review system.

**After this meeting:**

- **Try selling your product through the channels you’ve identified. If those don’t work, try 3 more!**
- Follow up with those who bought to get reviews. For those who don’t buy your product, try to find out why they didn’t buy, and what would make them purchase.

 

### **Meeting 4: ***Refine and Improve*

**Before this meeting: **

- Gather your customer feedback
- Review the following: [**Improve a Product** ](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/product-development/how-to-improve-a-product)

**In this meeting:**

- Group positive feedback into themes. 
- Group negative feedback into themes. 
- Identify the aspects of your idea that are working well as well as areas that need to be improved. 
- Create a plan and timeline for the next test.  

**After this meeting:**

- Make improvements to your product based on your findings, and repeat the testing process until you have achieved predictable sales results with mostly positive feedback. 
- Be sure to mark your project complete, [**update your business tracker** ](https://app.skysthelimit.org/home/milestones) **,** and start a new project!

 

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#### **Want to talk to someone who can help? **

Sky’s the Limit members are connected to a community of volunteer business mentors, more free tools and guides like this one, and exclusive funding opportunities.

[ Sign up to find a mentor ](https://app.skysthelimit.org/home/onboarding/signup)

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[## How To Conduct SWOT Analysis

](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/project-guides/swot-analysis)