5
How did you get your first 100 early customers? I've been building a SaaS fitness app and am curious what strategies worked for you for getting beyond the initial friends-and-family wave of users.
r/SaaS
5/27/2025
SAAS TOOLS
| SaaS | URL | Category | Features/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com | Social Media | Short video platform |
| https://www.linkedin.com | Professional Networking | B2B marketing platform | |
| X (Twitter) | https://twitter.com | Social Media | Real-time information sharing |
| https://www.reddit.com | Social News Aggregation | Community discussion platform | |
| Discord | https://discord.com | Communication | Voice and text chat platform |
| https://www.facebook.com | Social Networking | Broad audience reach | |
| YouTube | https://www.youtube.com | Video Sharing | Long-form content platform |
| https://www.instagram.com | Photo/Video Sharing | Visual content platform | |
USER NEEDS
Pain Points:
- Difficulty getting beyond friends-and-family user base
- Struggling to enter conversations without being obnoxious
- Need to find effective marketing strategies
- Challenge of message refinement before scaling
- Difficulty in communicating value proposition clearly
Problems to Solve:
- Acquiring first 100 early customers
- Building trust with potential users
- Creating effective marketing messages
- Scaling user acquisition beyond initial network
- Differentiating product in crowded market
Potential Solutions:
- Targeted community engagement
- Value-first approach before pitching
- Influencer partnerships
- Conference speaking opportunities
- Paid advertising on relevant platforms
- Community building through helpful interactions
GROWTH FACTORS
Effective Strategies:
- Hand-to-hand combat outreach in targeted communities
- Providing value before asking for anything
- Leveraging niche communities for early traction
- Building trust through helpful interactions
- Using waitlist to fuel momentum
- Founder visibility and human connection
Marketing & Acquisition:
- Targeted social media advertising
- Influencer marketing
- Conference speaking and attendance
- Community engagement in niche forums
- Paid boosting of social content
Monetization & Product:
- Clear value proposition communication
- Tightening homepage messaging
- Focusing on early user experience
- Building unique differentiators
User Engagement:
- Personalized outreach and DMs
- Solving micro-problems in communities
- Sharing user success stories
- Building relationships before pitching