25 guides · 6 stages · idea to 1,000 users
What gets your product its first 1,000 users
I'm building and I'm at the stage.
Time per task
Run ten problem interviewsCheck search demand for the problemFind where your users already talkPre-sell to five peopleSet up a waitlist landing pageBuild in publicList on pre-launch directoriesAdd a referral step to your waitlistCold outreach to your first 20 usersRecruit beta testers in niche communitiesOnboard every beta user on a callList on beta-testing platformsPost a Show HN on Hacker NewsLaunch on Product HuntSubmit to startup directoriesShare your launch on RedditGet featured in new-product newslettersAsk your users for referralsAnswer questions where they are askedList in integration marketplacesEmail every new signup personallySEO for early-stage productsWrite honest comparison pagesCross-promote with adjacent productsSponsor a niche newsletter
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Any product · at idea and validation
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01
Idea and validation
4- Run ten problem interviewsTalk to ten people who have the problem before writing code, and ask what they do about it today rather than what they would buy.Any product
- Check search demand for the problemUse free keyword tools to see whether people search for the problem and which words they use to describe it.Any product
- Find where your users already talkList the subreddits, forums, Discord servers and Slack groups where your users ask questions, and read them for a week before posting.Any product
- Pre-sell to five peopleAsk potential users to pay or commit before the product exists. A small payment is stronger evidence than a waitlist signup.Any product
02
Waitlist
4- Set up a waitlist landing pageOne page that states the problem and who it is for, and collects an email address, so you have people to contact when there is something to try.Any product
- Build in publicPost regular, specific updates about what you are building and what you learned, so people follow the project before it launches.Any product
- List on pre-launch directoriesSubmit your waitlist page to directories that feature upcoming products, to collect early signups and your first links.Any product
- Add a referral step to your waitlistAfter signup, give each person a link to share and a concrete reason to share it, such as earlier access.Any product
03
Private beta
4- Cold outreach to your first 20 usersFind 20 specific people who have the problem, write to each of them individually, and offer to set them up yourself.Any product
- Recruit beta testers in niche communitiesPost in the communities your users belong to, describe the problem plainly, and ask for a small number of testers.Any product
- Onboard every beta user on a callSet up the first users yourself on a short call and note where they get stuck.Any product
- List on beta-testing platformsSubmit to sites that connect products looking for early testers with people who want to try new things.Any product
04
Launch
5- Post a Show HN on Hacker NewsShare something people can try right away, write a plain first comment, and answer every question for the rest of the day.Any product
- Launch on Product HuntPrepare the listing and assets in advance, launch at 12:01 a.m. Pacific time, and tell your own list and communities on the day.Any product
- Submit to startup directoriesList your product on relevant startup and software directories for a steady trickle of visitors and links back to your site.Any product
- Share your launch on RedditPost in the few subreddits that allow project posts, follow each one’s rules, and write as a member rather than an advertiser.Any product
- Get featured in new-product newslettersSend a short, specific pitch to newsletters that cover new tools in your category.Any product
05
First 100 users
4- Ask your users for referralsAsk users who got value from the product to introduce it to one specific person, right after they got that value.Any product
- Answer questions where they are askedSearch communities and Q&A sites for people describing the problem, and give a useful answer that mentions the product only where it helps.Any product
- List in integration marketplacesPublish the product in the app directories of tools your users already use, such as Slack, Shopify, Zapier, Notion or the Chrome Web Store.Any product
- Email every new signup personallySend each new user a short personal email asking why they signed up, and reply to every answer.Any product
06
First 1,000 users
4- SEO for early-stage productsWrite a small number of pages that answer specific problem searches your users make, instead of competing for broad terms.Any product
- Write honest comparison pagesPublish "alternative to" and comparison pages for tools your users already consider, with accurate tables and clear trade-offs.Any product
- Cross-promote with adjacent productsAgree with a non-competing product that serves the same users to mention each other in emails, docs or onboarding.Any product
- Sponsor a niche newsletterBuy one placement in a small newsletter your users read, measure signups, and repeat only what works.Any product