firstthousandusers
  1. Idea and validation
  2. Waitlist
  3. Private beta
  4. Launch
  5. First 100 users
  6. First 1,000 users
Direct outreach

Pre-sell to five people

Ask potential users to pay or commit before the product exists. A small payment is stronger evidence than a waitlist signup.

What's requiredOne to two weeks of conversations.
Accounts
A Stripe account (or similar) for a payment link, an email account, a calendar tool.
Assets
A one-page description or mockup, a price, a founding member offer, a written refund promise.
Time
One to two weeks of conversations.
Cost
Free. Payment processors take a small fee per payment.
Prerequisites
Some problem interviews done, and a short list of people who clearly have the problem.

What to do

  1. Start with the people who cared most in your interviews. Go back to anyone who already pays for a workaround, got visibly frustrated, or asked when they could try it. Five to ten warm people is enough. Strangers rarely pre-pay.
  2. Describe the first version in plain terms. One page or one mockup: what it does, what it does not do yet, and when they get it. Promise the smallest thing that solves the problem they told you about. Be honest that it is early.
  3. Pick a real price, then offer a founding member deal. Set the normal price you plan to charge, then offer early buyers something clear: 30–50% off for the first year, a lifetime discount, or the first three months free after an upfront deposit. A price of $0 tests nothing.
  4. Create a payment link, not a checkout system. A Stripe Payment Link (or the equivalent in Lemon Squeezy, Paddle, Gumroad or PayPal) takes a few minutes and needs no code. For annual or deposit plans, a single charge is simplest.
  5. Add a written refund promise. “If it does not do what I described by [date], I refund you in full, no questions.” This removes most of the risk for the buyer and makes the ask much easier to say yes to.
  6. Ask directly on a call or in a short message. After you recap their problem, say something like “I am taking five founding customers at $X. Want to be one?” Then stop talking. A “not now” with a reason is useful data; a vague “sounds great, let me know when it’s ready” is a no.
  7. Deliver something by hand while you build. A concierge MVP means you do the job manually, with spreadsheets, scripts or your own time, so the buyer gets value right away. It keeps them engaged and teaches you what the product actually needs to do.
  8. Talk to every buyer every week or two. Treat them as design partners. Short calls or onboarding calls turn them into your best feedback source and your first testimonials.

Templates

Pre-sale message to an interviewee:

Hi [name], thanks again for walking me through how you handle [problem]. I am building [one-line description], starting with [the part they cared about]. I am taking five founding customers at $[X]/month instead of $[Y], locked in for the first year. First version ready by [date]; full refund if it does not do [specific thing]. Here is the link if you want in: [payment link]. Happy to jump on a call first.

Softer version if they hesitate:

Totally fair. Would a $[small amount] deposit to reserve a founding spot work better? It comes off your first payment and is fully refundable.

Why it works

Signups and compliments are cheap. Money is not. When someone pays, even a small amount, they show that the problem is worth solving and that your description of the solution makes sense to them. They also become invested in your success, so they answer your messages, test early builds and tell you plainly what is missing.

How it gets users

Few, but the right ones. Founders who pre-sell to warm interviewees often get one to five paying customers from 10–20 conversations. If nobody pays after that many good conversations, that is valuable too: the problem may not be painful enough, the price may be off, or you may be talking to the wrong people. Your first pre-sale customers usually become your first case studies and referral sources at launch.

Common mistakes

  • Asking strangers instead of people who already told you about the problem.
  • Counting “I would definitely buy this” as a sale.
  • Making the price so low that it proves nothing, or free.
  • Promising a big product and a vague date.
  • Taking money and then disappearing until launch.
  • Forgetting the refund promise, which makes people hesitate.

Next steps

This guide is connected to these guides on the map. Numbered ones come next.

01 Idea02 Waitlist03 Beta04 Launch05 First 10006 First 1kSet up a waitlist landing page1Cold outreach to your first 20 users2Onboard every beta user on a call3This guide01 Idea02 Waitlist03 BetaSet up a waitlist landing page1Cold outreach to your first 20 users2Onboard every beta user on a call3This guide
  1. 102 Waitlist · Content and SEOSet 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.
  2. 203 Private beta · Direct outreachCold 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.
  3. 303 Private beta · Direct outreachOnboard every beta user on a callSet up the first users yourself on a short call and note where they get stuck.