Ask HN: What has been surprisingly effective in improving your business?

We signed up to go to a industry related conference as a vendor.

Had low expectations and lost money but the conference was insanely valuable.

First because we had the chance to talk to customers for days straight. We refined our sales pitch, heard objections and concerns, learned about new features people cared about and more.

Second because everybody really rallied around the conference deadline and we got so much work done to prepare for the conference it really skyrocketed our momentum and productivity.

1. cheap low level marketing campigns such as distributing flyers or putting up posters work well at the start

2. lesser the features your product has more customers love it.

3. taking an office space is much larger expense than it appears at the start thanks to travel time, travel cost, utility bills, eating out at restaurants, etc. work from home as much as possible.

Concentrating on absolutely ONE GOAL at a time. Crucial for lean growers grasping at a MVP.