Question
What's the best way to manage MVP user expectations and why?
Answer
If you can only show them something in 4-6 months, what exactly have you gotten out the door as an MVP? Is it one of those landing page+email sign up MVPs? In that case, just send ONE email to the sign-uppers when you're ready. That's the expectation that's already been set. The only thing you can do besides that is write a good content marketing blog relevant to your market to keep yourself fresh in people's minds.
If you've actually got a functional product they can do something with on an ongoing basis (i.e. use routinely beyond a first test-drive followed by a "I'll consider using regularly when they get the real thing out" decision), then your main expectation management tool should be a (very occasional) site updates emailer coupled with at least visible incremental product evolution. Only send the update out when you have actual updates. Don't send out annoying bs every week.
If your MVP was a throwaway prototype, only good for test-driving and not production use, and has flatlined in terms of evolution, and the real work is going on with a "jump" product that will replace the out-there product in a few months... you basically have nothing. It's really no better than the landing-page/announcement-email sign up version of MVP. So treat it as such.
In terms of the heuristics for expectation management itself... you have 2 strategies open to you:
1. Under-promise and over-deliver: set expectations at less than 70% of what your final product will actually do. Or possibly say nothing at all other than a vague description. This is the true "stealth" end of the spectrum, and is best used by people with established credibility.
2. Vaporware Drama queen: set expectations at 200%... the full, complete product vision 2 years down the road. This can actually work in some rare cases, but you need a lot of audacity and humor to pull it off, and at least an intriguing MVP.
Your likely position will be somewhere in the middle.
Message me with specific details about your product if you want more suggestions... this is about as much as I can offer without actually understanding the product.
If you've actually got a functional product they can do something with on an ongoing basis (i.e. use routinely beyond a first test-drive followed by a "I'll consider using regularly when they get the real thing out" decision), then your main expectation management tool should be a (very occasional) site updates emailer coupled with at least visible incremental product evolution. Only send the update out when you have actual updates. Don't send out annoying bs every week.
If your MVP was a throwaway prototype, only good for test-driving and not production use, and has flatlined in terms of evolution, and the real work is going on with a "jump" product that will replace the out-there product in a few months... you basically have nothing. It's really no better than the landing-page/announcement-email sign up version of MVP. So treat it as such.
In terms of the heuristics for expectation management itself... you have 2 strategies open to you:
1. Under-promise and over-deliver: set expectations at less than 70% of what your final product will actually do. Or possibly say nothing at all other than a vague description. This is the true "stealth" end of the spectrum, and is best used by people with established credibility.
2. Vaporware Drama queen: set expectations at 200%... the full, complete product vision 2 years down the road. This can actually work in some rare cases, but you need a lot of audacity and humor to pull it off, and at least an intriguing MVP.
Your likely position will be somewhere in the middle.
Message me with specific details about your product if you want more suggestions... this is about as much as I can offer without actually understanding the product.