The Mommy Test

How well can you explain WTF your startup does? How easily can your audience understand the value? How simple is your message, to the point where a total stranger could pitch it back to someone else?

Try the Mommy Test.

Explain your startup to your mom. Or your spouse. Or your neighbor. Or whoever is nearby and has no stake in your company. See what they understand, what they retain, and what they can pitch back to you.

How'd they do? Was the value obvious? Would they try it? Would they pay for it?

Here come the objections: "My mom isn't my audience." "She wouldn't use this." "She doesn't understand the space."

Sure. All likely true. Who cares?

If you can simplify your message so clearly that the value is obvious even to your parents, you can always go deeper, get more technical, and layer in the specifics for a real prospect. That part is easy. Simple is hard. And you can't go the other way. You can't start complex and hope people will figure out the simple version on their own.

Here's the other thing: you never know who you'll end up pitching to. The next elevator ride could be with the spouse of your biggest potential investor, a friend of your best future evangelist, or someone who knows exactly the person you need to reach. If they don't understand your value clearly enough to pass it along, you just lost a referral you didn't even know you had.

The Mommy Test is practical, powerful, and free. Use it.