Why is product-market fit so hard to nail for a new prototype?

[ChloeR]

So we built a functional prototype and a handful of people say they love it, but I’m honestly stuck on what to do next. How do you figure out if there’s a real market for this thing, or if it’s just friends being nice? I keep hearing you need to find product-market fit, but that feels like a vague target when you’re just starting out.

[Mila92]

Nice to hear people love it but product-market fit isn’t earned from warm fuzzies. It means a real scalable audience actually gets a meaningful gain from your prototype, not just your friends.

[FrankS]

Analytical approach with a plan is to interview twelve to fifteen potential users in the target space, map their top problems, and watch for signals that your prototype solves one of those problems. Then test demand with a simple landing or signup to see if you are moving toward product-market fit.

[Ethan68]

Skeptic view: maybe product-market fit is a myth your brain wants because it sounds tidy. In reality you are chasing a moving target. Build rapid tests and let the data decide which problem is worth pursuing.

[William.J]

Misunderstanding style you might be chasing a big market when all you need is a tiny niche that really cares. Focus on one role, one workflow, one pain, and see if your prototype makes that one person’s day noticeably better.

[Jason86]

Reframe what if market success isn’t about selling to strangers but about proving value in a real context. Put the prototype into a real pilot with a partner organization and measure adoption, support requests, and the time saved as a signal of product-market fit.

[Mark.P]

Casual writing and craft focus the way you describe the problem matters as much as your features. Draft a crisp value proposition and see if readers nod or scroll on. The response curve tells you something about product-market fit, not just vibes.

[James_A]

Do you need a full market or do you just need a critical few who will pay for this now? If you can answer that with a real sign up or a price you are closer, but don’t pretend a market exists if you are not seeing paying customers.