“Step one is you have to build an audience because if you don't have an audience, you don't have anyone to sell to. Step two is you've got to set up an email list and start communicating with people at least once a week.”

Build an audience and an email list before you ever pitch a pre-sale

Validation starts months earlier with audience-building. Post raw build-in-public content, ship free things of value on X, then funnel that attention into a weekly email list — the trust there is what makes a pre-sale convert when launch day comes.