How an early-stage software product gets more users.
An early software product (a founder or small team, few customers yet) selling online to businesses or professionals.
Users look in six places before they sign up.
LinkedIn
The founder's posts are how buyers first hear of the product.
G2
Buyers and AI answers read software reviews here.
Capterra
The second review site buyers check for software.
Product Hunt
Where early adopters find new tools.
Reddit
People ask for tool recommendations in one or two subreddits.
X
Builders and early users follow along here.
More and more of them ask ChatGPT first.
They ask about best tools for the job, alternatives to the big names, pricing, how to do the job, tools for startups and comparisons. Questions like these, with your own words in the blanks:
- best what you sell for who it is for
- tool to a job without hiring someone
- how do I stop their problem as a small company
- how much does what you sell cost for a team of 10
- you vs a competitor
- a competitor alternative for a small team
Four plays that work for early-stage software products.
DM sprint getting found
The first customers come from talking to people who asked in public.
Launch sequence getting found
A launch told in a few posts brings the first wave of users.
Friday changelog bringing users back
A weekly note on what shipped keeps users and shows momentum.
Product Hunt listing getting found
A launch page early adopters and AI answers can find.
Three things come first.
Getting found
Users who can't find you pick whoever they find first.
Knowing why people choose you
Knowing why people pick you tells you what to do more of.
Turning visitors into demo requests
Every visitor who leaves unsure is a user lost.
How often, at most.
These are limits, not targets: something with nothing to say doesn't go out.
- Drafts for LinkedIn posts
- up to 2 times a week
- Drafts for X posts
- once a week
- A helpful reply on Reddit
- every few days at most
- A short video you film on your phone
- once a week
- An email to past users
- once a month
- A new page
- when a page is the move you agreed
Nothing goes live without your yes.