DigiPromise

The first task to focus on was the name. This might seem insignificant but there was great symbolism in finding a name. The name of the website became a sort of nom de plume, a talisman for inspiration. 

DigiPromise.com was not always the favoured option. There were alternatives, many too embarrassing and cringeworthy to recall. www.givesomethingup.co.uk and www.givealittlepartofyou.com being two of the less appealing! I was indecisive and could not decide between a number of, admittedly more catchy, options and so I hit upon the necessity of doing a little bit of market research.

The market research for what would become DigiPromise.com was really quite basic. I set up a questionnaire on a free website and asked friends and family to provide some feedback on the idea, including whether they would use such a site (yes!), how often they checked their emails (most do so more than three times a day!), and whether they would consider paying (no!).

Apart from dispensing with the worst naming options, this limited research proved invaluable. Friends offered some much needed encouragement to the project and advised me to focus on individual pledges rather than grand political ones. Good sound advice!

Proper market research would come later but it is always worth testing your idea with friends and family to see if those closest to you have any interest in the concept. Just beware false praise and remember - your friends are often less likely to let you down gently if they are not impressed!