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How I marketed my app before writing a single line of code

r/indiehackers
8/15/2025

Content Summary

The post discusses how the author failed to gain paying customers for several indie apps over three years. He realized that he was building products first and then trying to market them, which led to poor results. Instead, he started marketing his new app before writing any code. He engaged with potential users, gathered feedback, and validated the product idea before development. This approach led to immediate sales and allowed him to reinvest in marketing. The author shares this experience to encourage others to adopt a similar strategy of validating their ideas before building.

Opinion Analysis

Mainstream opinion: Many commenters agree that marketing before coding is essential for validating ideas and increasing chances of success. There's a strong emphasis on talking to potential users early and gathering feedback. Some also highlight the importance of creating prototypes or mockups to demonstrate value. A few debate the challenges of B2B sales where tangible proof is needed. Others discuss the effectiveness of paid ads and the need for patience in conversion cycles. There's also a consensus that idea theft is not a major concern if execution and passion are strong enough. Overall, the discussion supports the author's approach and encourages others to follow a similar path.

SAAS TOOLS

SaaSURLCategoryFeatures/Notes
CoconutLaunch[Not provided]Marketing ToolMentioned as a product the author is working on, with paid ads and SEO strategies
Pulse for Reddit[Not provided]Community EngagementUsed for real conversations in micro-subreddits
Figmahttps://www.figma.comDesign ToolUsed for prototyping
Tallyhttps://tally.soSurvey ToolUsed for collecting feedback
Webflowhttps://webflow.comWebsite BuilderMentioned as an alternative to Notion for landing pages
Notionhttps://www.notion.soProductivity ToolUsed for brainstorming and organizing ideas

USER NEEDS

Pain Points:

  • Lack of real user validation before building a product
  • Building products that no one wants or uses
  • Difficulty in acquiring paying customers
  • Fear of idea theft by competitors
  • Challenges in B2B sales due to need for tangible prototypes

Problems to Solve:

  • How to validate product ideas before development
  • How to build a customer base early in the process
  • How to effectively market a product without a fully built MVP
  • How to overcome the fear of idea theft
  • How to convince B2B clients without a working prototype

Potential Solutions:

  • Talking to potential users before writing code
  • Creating clickable prototypes or mockups to demonstrate value
  • Using community engagement tools like Pulse for Reddit
  • Implementing a structured marketing loop (landing page + PPC + calls)
  • Building an audience around the problem space rather than the product itself

GROWTH FACTORS

Effective Strategies:

  • Marketing before building to validate demand
  • Engaging with potential users early to gather feedback and build relationships
  • Systematizing the pre-launch process to ensure consistency
  • Building an audience around the problem space
  • Leveraging organic communities and niche forums for early traction

Marketing & Acquisition:

  • Running $50/day paid ads for 30 days to gather data
  • Sharing ideas in niche Slack/Discord spaces
  • Using Reddit for targeted outreach and community engagement
  • Collecting leads through waitlists and pre-orders

Monetization & Product:

  • Starting with a minimal viable product (MVP) that solves a core problem
  • Using customer feedback to shape feature development
  • Focusing on product-market fit before scaling
  • Reinvesting early revenue into marketing efforts

User Engagement:

  • Conducting personal calls with every sign-up to gather insights
  • Using Figma or Notion for interactive demos and feedback collection
  • Maintaining ongoing conversations with users even after launch
  • Creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity through pre-orders and waitlists