Pre-launches are great to find early adopters but you won't be able to prove the value of your product if you're giving away early access for free.

When you're at the beginning of your startup journey, it's import to make sure that there is a market for your product or your service.

When you ask for money, you’re asking people to consider “how much is the product worth to me”. If that answer is > $0, then be assured that you’ve built something valuable.

When Anthony Xie launched Hodlbot, he asked his customers to pay $1 for the first month.

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Did they really need the $1? Not really. But it forces the customers to have skin in the game.

When they pay for something, they have expectations for it and are far more demanding. This is good. You’ve tricked them into giving you feedback on your product.