Most early customer conversations end politely. People want to be helpful, and saying “that sounds useful” costs nothing. That is precisely why it is worth so little as evidence.
A ladder of commitment
Think of customer signals as a ladder. At the bottom: compliments and stated interest. Above that: time commitments — a second meeting, an introduction to a colleague. Then reputational commitments — sharing internal data, championing you to a boss. At the top: financial commitments — a deposit, a paid pilot, a signed contract.
Validation lives on the upper rungs. Every rung up costs the customer something, which is what makes it informative.
Who said it matters as much as what was said
Interest from a user without purchasing authority is a different signal from interest from the budget owner. Document role, company size, and decision authority alongside every quote. Twelve independent buyers are worth more than thirty friendly users.
Independence matters too. Evidence from your network, advisors, or investors is useful, but weaker than evidence from strangers who match your ideal customer profile.
Set the bar before you test
Decide in advance what result would count as success. “If at least two of seven qualified buyers accept a paid pilot at this price, we proceed.” Pre-committing to thresholds protects you from rationalising whatever result you get.
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