But most SaaS founders overthink it. They obsess over launch day, ads, or polished landing pages. What matters most early on? Talking to the right people and showing them something useful.
In this post, I’ll explain what works. These aren’t vague ideas. These are solid, repeatable strategies—both free and paid—that real founders use to attract their first users. If you’re post-launch or about to launch, this guide is designed to help you go from zero to traction without guessing.
How to Get Your First 100 Users After Launching a SaaS
1. Understand Who You’re Trying to Attract
If you’re talking to everyone, you’re talking to no one.
The fastest way to burn time is trying to appeal to too broad an audience. Early on, the only users you should care about are the ones with the exact problem you’re solving. That means getting clear on your ICP—Ideal Customer Profile.
Skip the fancy templates. Just answer this: "Who are they, and what daily problem does your product solve for them?"
The smaller your focus, the faster you’ll get traction. For example, if you're building a scheduling tool, don’t say it’s “for busy professionals.” That’s vague. But if you say it’s “for executive assistants managing more than 10 calendars a day,” now you’re targeting a real pain point. The same rule applies if you’re creating call center software: define which teams or industries you serve and what communication challenge you solve.
Founders often think they need more features to attract users. In reality, they need fewer users with clearer needs. I’ve seen products with bloated feature sets that try to be everything at once—and get ignored. But the ones that go deep on one problem? They win early users fast because the value is obvious.
You don’t need a massive user base. You need a small group of people who feel underserved and will notice when someone finally builds something that works for them.
2. Build a Pre-Launch Audience (if you haven’t already)
If you’re reading this before your official launch, good. This is your advantage.
A small email list of warm leads is one of the most powerful levers you can have at launch. Even 200 people who’ve heard about your product, signed up for updates, or followed your progress are better than a cold start.
Here’s what works:
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Add a simple waitlist form to your landing page. Use tools like Tally, Carrd, or ConvertKit.
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Post updates on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Reddit, and even Indie Hackers. Show progress. Share struggles. Be honest. People respect that.
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DM or email potential users directly. You’re not pitching. Just showing what you’re working on and asking for feedback.
When I built an internal prototype of Zovoro.ai, I shared it in small creator groups before building out the full version. I only had a Notion page and a Typeform. But 40+ people signed up just from one post in a Discord server. No product yet—just a clear value prop and an open conversation.
If you’ve already launched and didn’t build a list, that’s okay. Start now. Every piece of interest compounds.
3. Use Communities (Free but Powerful)
Communities are where early SaaS users hang out. Not as leads—but as people who like new tools, give feedback, and share cool stuff.
Here’s where to show up:
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Product Hunt: Still a strong launch platform. But don’t rely on it for volume—use it for credibility and feedback.
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Hacker News: Works best for technical or developer-focused products. Share a story, not just a link.
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Reddit: Find the right subreddits. SaaS, startups, productivity, design—all have active members willing to try things.
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Slack/Discord groups: Niche ones work best. For creators, consultants, devs, etc.
The key here is don’t spam. Show your work. Start a thread like: “Built a tool to solve [X]—looking for feedback from [target group].” That works better than any pitch.
Here’s an example post I used once that got solid engagement:
“I just launched a tiny SaaS for creators who want to send personalized videos at scale. Learned a lot from the first 10 beta users—happy to share what’s worked so far.”
People replied, asked for links, and gave feedback. That turned into demos, which turned into signups.
“One good post in the right place can lead to dozens of users—if you approach it like a peer, not a salesperson”, said Ivaylo Georgiev, SEO Manager of VPSBG.
4. Do Cold Outreach (Personalized & Value-Focused)
Yes, cold outreach still works. But only when it’s actually thoughtful.
If you’re copying and pasting templates, you’ll blend in with spam. But if you write like a human and show that you understand someone’s problem, you’ll stand out.
Focus on one thing: what’s in it for them?
Here’s a basic structure that’s worked for me:
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Short intro (no fluff)
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Quick context (why you’re reaching out)
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Offer value (free access, a tool, something useful)
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End with no ask or a simple CTA
Example:
Hey [Name],
Saw your post about [pain point]—I’ve been building a tool that helps [solve that problem] with less effort.
Happy to give you early access if it’s relevant—no strings, just curious if it helps.
— [Your name]
You can send these through LinkedIn or cold email. If you’re doing it at scale, use tools like Instantly or Smartlead. But even manual outreach works great in the early days. Ten targeted messages > 1,000 generic ones.
5. Tap Into Your Personal Network
Most founders overlook their own network. That’s a mistake.
People you already know—friends, old colleagues, people from past projects—can often help you get your first users faster than any channel. Not because they’re guaranteed to use your product, but because they trust you.
Here’s the move: don’t ask for signups. Ask for connections.
You might be one intro away from a small community of ideal users. For example, when I launched one of my first SaaS tools, a friend didn’t sign up—but they knew someone who ran a paid community of 500 freelancers. That intro brought in 30 new users in a week.
Be clear about:
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What your product does
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Who it’s for
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What kind of help you’re looking for (e.g., intros, beta testers, feedback)
Write it plainly. Here's an example message I’ve used:
“Hey, just launched a tool that helps solo consultants generate proposals faster. Looking for a few early users—know anyone that fits?”
That’s it. You’re not selling. You’re involving them. That shift in tone makes a difference.
Also: make your product shareable. Give your network a reason to talk about it. That could be a unique feature, a story behind why you built it, or a strong POV that people relate to.
People want to support builders—especially early on. Make it easy for them.
6. Offer Free Trials or Lifetime Deals
Free trials and lifetime deals are classic early-stage SaaS strategies. Done right, they help reduce friction and create momentum.
But don’t confuse easy access with lack of value. You still need a reason for someone to care.
Free Trials:
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Keep them short (7 or 14 days is enough)
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Onboard clearly—walk them through what to do first
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Use tools like Userflow, Appcues, or even a Loom video to guide them
Your goal is to get users to a “first win” as fast as possible. That win could be sending an email, completing an integration, or uploading their first file—whatever signals that they’ve seen the value.
Lifetime Deals (LTDs):
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You can run these yourself or use platforms like AppSumo
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Frame it as: “Support an early-stage project + get lifetime access”
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Add urgency (limited slots or time)
Just be careful with LTDs. They attract deal hunters. You need to filter for users who might stick around or give real feedback. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with users who never use the product again—and they won’t help you improve it.
I once ran a small LTD through my landing page using Stripe + Gumroad. Priced it at $79, capped it at 50 people. It sold out in a week, and around 30 of those users became real advocates. They shared it, gave feedback, and even wrote testimonials.
That kind of energy can carry you through the early grind.
7. Partner with Complementary Tools or Creators
You don’t have to go it alone. One of the fastest ways to get in front of the right people is to borrow someone else’s audience—with context.
Look for tools or creators that serve the same type of users but don’t compete directly.
For example:
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If you built a client onboarding tool, partner with a time-tracking app
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If you built a note-taking app for engineers, find coding influencers who write newsletters
Ways to collaborate:
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Offer a free integration or joint workflow
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Run a co-branded webinar or live demo
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Create a guest post or newsletter swap
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Give free access in exchange for a shoutout
You don’t need massive influencers. Micro-creators with 1,000–10,000 followers often have much tighter, more engaged audiences.
I once offered early access to a creator who runs a private group of indie founders. In return, they featured my tool in their newsletter with a short “use case” section. That brought in around 40 users—most of them stuck around.
If your product actually solves something and is easy to explain, other creators will want to share it. It makes them look good for surfacing helpful tools.
Just make the ask simple: “Would this be useful to your audience?”
9. Create Content That Solves Problems
Forget SEO hacks or keyword stuffing. Early content should be useful and targeted. Founders often struggle to strike the right tone when writing blog posts or guides, and an ai humanizer can polish content so it feels conversational and trustworthy.Your job is to answer the exact questions your users are typing into Google or asking in Slack groups. Be specific. Be tactical.
Examples:
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“How to automate client onboarding with Notion and [your product]”
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“3 tools I use to manage client handoffs—one of them I built myself”
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“Why I stopped using [popular tool] and built this instead”
Use your product in the solution, but don’t make it the hero. Teach something. Then say, “By the way, I use [product name] to handle this part.”
You can post this on:
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Your blog
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LinkedIn or X
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Indie Hackers or relevant communities
Repurpose each post in a few formats—carousel, thread, short video—so it travels further.
If you’re not sure what problems to write about, ask your early users or look through Reddit and Twitter threads. That’s where real pain shows up.
If you want an easier way to capture and organize those questions from multiple channels, use a Content Collection framework can help you pull insights from Reddit, Slack, and more, so you’re never guessing what to write about.
Also: don’t wait until you “have time” to blog. Your early traction will likely come from just one or two good posts. If someone Googles a specific problem and finds your solution, they’ll try your product.
That’s traffic with intent.
10. Use Feedback to Iterate Fast
Every user interaction is a learning opportunity. Especially early ones.
Ask for feedback constantly—but don’t just collect it. Use it. Update your product, improve your messaging, and tighten onboarding. Then let users know what changed.
Good tools for this:
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Canny: For public roadmaps and feature requests
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Typeform / Tally: To collect insights post-onboarding
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Loops / Mailchimp: To send quick updates
You’re not just building software—you’re building trust. When users see you improving based on their input, they’re more likely to stick around, share it, and help you get better.
Show your updates publicly. Twitter threads, changelogs, LinkedIn posts—whatever your audience uses. The goal is to make people feel like they’re part of the build.
I’ve had users say “I feel like I helped shape this”—and that’s the exact relationship you want.
Final Thoughts
Getting your first 100 users takes effort, not luck. It’s about knowing who you’re building for, showing up where they are, and proving value quickly. Every person who signs up gives you more than a number—they give you feedback, credibility, and a foundation to grow from.
Don’t chase shortcuts. Test different approaches, stay consistent, and keep nurturing the people who believe in what you’re building. Those first 100 users matter most—because they’re the start of everything that comes next.
FAQs
1. What’s the fastest way to get my first 100 users?
There’s no guaranteed fast track, but combining community engagement with direct outreach tends to work best. Prioritize talking to people, showing them your solution, and offering value right away.
2. Should I build a waitlist even if I’m close to launching?
Yes. Even a small list gives you warm leads to talk to. It helps reduce the cold start problem and gives you people to test messaging, onboarding, and pricing with.
3. Is paid acquisition worth it for early users?
Usually not. Unless you’ve already validated your product and funnel, paid ads can burn cash without results. Focus on organic methods, partnerships, and outreach first.
4. How should I price my SaaS at launch?
Start simple. One plan, maybe two. Offer free access or a low-stakes entry point to remove friction. You can always raise prices later once value is proven.
5. What if no one signs up after I launch?
Don’t panic. Go back to your ICP. Talk to real people. Ask why they didn’t sign up. Adjust your offer, your messaging, or your product based on what you hear. No traction means you’re missing something—but it’s fixable.
Jyoti Ray, founder of OneMinuteSEO, brings 7+ years of SEO expertise to help SaaS businesses earn high-quality backlinks that drive rankings and authority. As the go-to link building expert in the SaaS industry, he delivers results that matter. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
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