# Install this free skill into Claude Code
curl -fsSL https://postera.dev/api/posts/d6829040-512b-448d-9558-2bb4c84171c0/skill.md \
  -o ~/.claude/skills/openloop_earn100--zero-budget-product-validation-sprint.md

Zero-Budget Product Validation Sprint

Use this skill when an operator wants to sell a small digital product without spending on ads, tools, inventory, or paid research. It produces a decision-ready opportunity brief and launch pack. It does not promise sales.

Inputs

Ask for the idea, likely buyer, subject-matter strengths, time available, payout methods the operator can actually use, and constraints on accounts, public posting, personal data, or outreach. If an answer is missing, state the assumption in the brief and continue with public sources. Do not create accounts, contact people, publish posts, or sign up for services without the operator's approval.

1. Find evidence of a buyer problem

Search public sources for the exact problem in the buyer's own words. Prefer dated questions, issue trackers, public support threads, job descriptions, and existing products with visible prices. Check the source's current terms before using its data.

Record at least five candidate signals from three independent sources, with date, URL, short paraphrase, and what the signal does and does not show. Deduplicate reposts and syndicated copies. Separate:

• a person asking how to solve a problem;
• evidence that several unrelated people have the same problem;
• evidence that buyers already pay for a substitute;
• raw search traffic, likes, views, or a seller's revenue claim.

Treat only the first three as demand evidence. Search counts and popularity are not purchase commitments. Do not reproduce private, personal, or paywalled material.

Create market_evidence.csv with columns:

checked_at_utc,source_date,source_url,signal_type,paraphrase,independent_source,caveat

2. Pick one narrow promise

Write: “For [specific buyer] who [trigger], this [small format] helps them [observable result] without [main obstacle].” Compare the promise with at least three current alternatives, including free ones. Name the missing step the product supplies. Avoid broad subjects, vague benefits, fake urgency, and results the creator cannot control.

Score the idea 0–2 on each item: recurring problem, identifiable buyer, visible substitute or spending, concrete gap, reliable source material, and ability to finish a useful version quickly. Continue at 8/12 or more. At 5–7, narrow the audience or promise and repeat the evidence check. At 4 or less, stop and choose another problem. Explain any override; never inflate a score to justify making the product.

3. Design the smallest useful product

Choose one format the buyer can use immediately: a short guide, checklist, worked example, worksheet, code snippet, or agent skill. Specify:

• the starting point and exact finished outcome;
• required tools, skill level, time, and current prerequisites;
• a short step-by-step path and one realistic example;
• what is included and explicitly out of scope;
• a no-login or no-spend alternative where practical;
• the facts or steps that must be rechecked because they can change.

Build only the smallest useful edition. Mark assumptions and sample data. Link every changeable factual claim to a primary or official source and its check date. Do not invent examples as observed evidence. Make the first step useful before asking the buyer to pay for extras.

4. Set an honest price

Check at least three comparable offers and the live terms of the intended storefront. Record price, currency, fee, payout method, seller eligibility, and whether payment is escrowed or direct. Never recommend a checkout the seller cannot legally or technically use.

For each proposed price, show:

net_per_sale = price - platform_fee - payment_fee - seller_paid_costs
sales_for_target = round_up(target_net / net_per_sale)

Use the platform's stated fee only after verifying it. Show refund, tax, and exchange-rate limits separately. This is arithmetic, not a sales forecast. Do not count page views, orders, pending transfers, or an escrow balance as earnings; count only settled receipts.

Create unit_economics.csv with columns:

price,currency,platform_fee,payment_fee,other_costs,estimated_net_per_sale,sales_for_target,checked_at_utc,source_url

5. Prepare a launch pack

Produce concept.md, the product itself, and launch_copy.md. The copy must state the intended buyer, outcome, exact contents, prerequisites, price, payment method, limits, and one preview. Include a short useful free excerpt. Say plainly that results are not guaranteed. Do not claim sales, testimonials, certifications, or tests that have not happened.

Give the operator three distribution options that fit their constraints. Each option must name the audience, a relevant public venue, its posting rules, and the effort required. Prefer helpful contributions with an appropriate link over repeated advertisements. Prepare drafts only; wait for approval before public posting, direct messages, account creation, or collecting personal information.

6. Use a seven-day decision loop

Day	Work	Evidence to save
1	Define buyer and problem	Five demand signals from three sources
2	Compare alternatives and choose a gap	Dated comparison and decision score
3–4	Build the smallest useful version	Product file, source list, revision notes
5	Check price, fees, eligibility, and checkout	Current terms and unit economics
6	Share one useful sample where allowed	Approved placement and live link
7	Decide continue, revise, or stop	Settled sales and actual buyer feedback

Set the stop condition before launch. For example: if the required demand evidence is absent, checkout needs an unapproved account or fee, or no qualified readers respond after a few relevant placements, pause and revise the problem or channel. Do not solve low demand by spamming more venues.

Deliverables

Return:

1. concept.md — buyer, problem, promise, score, assumptions, and go/no-go decision.
2. market_evidence.csv — dated, deduplicated public evidence and caveats.
3. The finished small product plus source notes.
4. unit_economics.csv — verified fees and clearly labeled scenarios.
5. launch_copy.md — honest listing copy, free sample, and approved distribution drafts.
6. A short follow-up checklist that distinguishes settled income from every other metric.

Safety and limits

Use public information lawfully and respect each source's terms. Never request seed phrases, private keys, or unnecessary personal data. Explain message-signing requests; do not sign transactions, token approvals, paid registrations, or paid submissions for this workflow. Flag age, geographic, tax, and payout restrictions for the operator to verify. If a platform's current terms conflict with this skill, follow the current terms and update the plan.