How to use this guide
Publish this for founders who have built something and need people to use it. It is hands-on and works without an advertising budget.
What is inside
- Know exactly who it is forWrite one sentence before you do anything else: this is for [type of person] who [has this problem] and today copes by [what they do now].
- Go where they already areYour users are already talking about the problem somewhere: forums, chat groups, social feeds, newsletters and review sites.
- Talk to people one to onePick ten people who clearly have the problem: someone who asked about it, complained about it or works the way your sentence describes.
- Make it easy to tryOnce someone is interested, get out of their way.
- Ask for introductionsEvery happy user knows others like them.
- Launch where early products are welcomeSome places exist to show new products to people who like trying them: launch communities, product directories, newsletters that feature
- Write for people who are already searchingSome of your users are typing their problem into a search engine right now.
- Borrow other people's audiencesSomeone already has the attention of the people you want: a newsletter writer, a podcast host, a consultant, or the maker of a tool that
Three title ideas for your own version
- Finding your first hundred users
- A founder's guide to early customers
- Get your first users without ads
Where to promote it
- X
- indie communities
- newsletters
- podcasts
How do founders find their first users?
Know exactly who it is for, go where those people already talk, message ten of them one to one and ask happy users for introductions.
Make this guide your own
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