First customers will really _really_ want what you’re making. They want it so badly that they’re willing to be the crazy person who tries it first. ## Emotional investment There’s a difference between “Yeah that’s a problem” And “THAT IS THE WORST PART OF MY LIFE AND I WILL PAY YOU TO FIX IT NOW.” ## Characteristics of a first customer - Have a problem - Know they have a problem - Have a budget to solve it - Have already cobbled together their own makeshift solution - They’ll commit before it seems rational to do so - They’ll fight for you against their boss and lawyers - It’s the fan who wants your product to succeed so badly that they’ll front you the money as a pre-order when all you’ve got is a duct-taped prototype **In early stage sales, the real goal is [[Customer learning]]. Revenue is a side-effect**