Ask HN: Where to focus, user acquisition vs. more demo functions? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Where to focus, user acquisition vs. more demo functions?

4 pointssungsoo10946 comments

We've developed an online test prep service (www.cuve.me) We want to get on one of the major accelerators this year. And the question we have now is whether to focus on user acquisition or develop more demo functions.

If we focus on user acquisition, we will try to enhance user experience and add more admin functions.

If we focus on more demo functions, we will develop tutor-focused functions (like questions creation and curation), which can be the real differentiator for us. However, we don't think we have enough bandwidth to develop full-fledged, marketable functions. They'll only be demo functions to show where we're going.

Thanks in advance for the comments. (also, if you could provide any feedbacks on the site, that'll be great as well.)

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[Disclaimer: I'm absolutely not your target audience, and am not familiar with US testing]

My immediate feedback would be that nothing on your website makes sense to me. I don't understand the concept of a cube. I don't understand why in your difficulty/concept/process diagram, Q2 of 6 appears to be the most difficult? I don't understand how your users are inventing knowledge. I also don't understand what I'd get if I signed up - you'd give me test questions that vary in difficulty, concept and process (whatever the latter 2 mean)? I don't know what cuves are, although I did find some cube shaped things on Google images.

Okay, I clicked try for free and was surprised I got a working demo. My feedback feels harsh now, and the product seems great, so I guess the most actionable feedback would be to make it clearer you're offering an instant demo. I suspect if I knew what CUVES is (your target audience do?) it'd make more sense, so take that all with a pinch of salt - but I hope there's something useful in there. :)

Also sorry I don't have the experience to answer your original question!

Focus on getting more users and stop adding more demo functions. Since you want to join accelerators it would be preferable to have a fully ready minimum viable product with real evidence of traction, than having a feature full website without good usage stats and numbers.

focus on getting enough users to get them using the product and get lots of feedback. I don't really understand what your talking about either. Sounds like your going to help me on my SAT. great say that. next why because ... every time you interact with our system little pieces of artificial intelligence called Cuves help you learn faster. (or whatever it is they do...) Wanna know more? click here. Then, focus on what they get for the free trial. if you've got a separate use case for another test build another landing page and focus that page on them.

well...your feedback is actually quite interesting. The intros in the front page are supposed to outline our approach in analyzing standard tests. We just wanted to deliver a sense that we are analytical in our approach to test prepping. But based on your comments, it sounds like it is confusing and might be better to jump straight to the questions page. We'll give it some thoughts and play with it. Thanks!!!

clickable http://www.cuve.me/

Lots of happy users is the ultimate VC aphrodisiac.

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