Summary

Getting your first 100 SaaS users can feel like trying to push a boulder uphill—with one hand.

I’ve been there. No funding, no huge Twitter following, no magic launch moment. Just a simple SaaS, a prototype, and a growing list of conversations with people who might care.

Those first users are special. They’re not just early adopters—they’re co-builders. They give feedback no one else will. They stick around even when the UX breaks. They tell their friends if you make them feel heard.

This post is your guide, roadmap, and reality check all in one. Whether you’re pre-launch or staring at a dashboard that says “5 active users,” here’s how to go from 5 to 100, without luck or ad spend.

Understand Your Audience and Market

Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Your ICP isn’t just a spreadsheet—it’s someone you could have coffee with. It’s Jill, the solopreneur juggling 6 tools and just wants “one dashboard to rule them all.” It’s Marcus, the DevOps lead who doesn’t want to write another bash script.

How to find your ICP:

• Start with your own pain: What problem were you solving for yourself?
• Jump into communities: Search Reddit, Quora, Slack groups, Twitter threads. Look for pain, frustration, workarounds.
• Interview 15-20 people in that zone. Be curious. Ask, “What’s the hardest part of your workflow?” or “What’s duct tape you’re using to keep this together?”

Then write down:

1. Job title
2. Daily problems
3. What tools they use
4. What they hate about those tools
5. How urgent the problem is

Here is the Template that you can use

The more specific, the better. Your product will be their answer.

Conduct Competitor Research

Competitors aren’t enemies—they’re case studies.

Here’s what I did: I made a spreadsheet with 10 competing tools. For each, I listed:

• Their tagline and what makes them “unique”
• Where they launched (Product Hunt? TechCrunch? HN?)
• How they priced early
• What users loved (via G2, Reddit, Twitter)
• What users hated

Then I wrote my “positioning wedge”—how I’d be different.

Example:

“Not another project management tool. We’re the only one that writes your daily agenda for you.”

Craft a Killer Value Proposition

Communicate Clearly

Avoid vague promises like “productivity reimagined.” Be clear, even if it feels too simple.

Formula to follow:

“We help [audience] achieve [outcome] without [pain point].”

Example:

“We help customer support teams cut ticket response time in half—without switching from Gmail.”

Test this headline everywhere—on your homepage, your Twitter bio, your directory listings. Track which version gets clicks.

Build Trust Quickly

When you’re new, users will ask: “Why should I trust you?”

Build trust by showing:

• Faces: Add a team photo or “Built by two ex-Zapier devs” line.
• Progress: “Over 1,200 messages sent through our app in the last 30 days.”
• Real user feedback: Even a quote like “Wow, finally something that doesn’t suck!” goes a long way.

Use Social Proofy, Senja, or Testimonial.to to collect and display feedback./

Launch on Startup and SaaS Listing Platforms

This step alone got us our first 1,800 site visits in week one.

Featured Directories to Publish Your SaaS

Don’t just “list” your product—launch it.

1. Product Hunt – Coordinate a full launch day. Prep your visuals, comment back fast, ping your network. Launch on Tuesday or Wednesday.
2. AppSumo – Great if you have a deal to offer. They’ll even promote you if your offer converts.
3. BetaList / Launching Next – These are passive but still get early eyeballs.
4. Show HN – Use a title like “Show HN: [Problem] → [Your Tool]” and briefly share what it does, who it’s for, and what feedback you want.
5. Indie Hackers – Share your story, not just your link. “Just launched my MVP for async team updates. Built it for my remote team. Here’s how.”

SaaS Directories That Attract Ready-to-Buy Users

You can add your tool to:

• G2
• Capterra
• GetApp
• Crozdesk
• TrustRadius

These take more effort. You’ll need:

• High-res logo
• Clear benefits (not features)
• At least 5 user reviews

Pro tip: Offer a $10 Amazon gift card or extra credits for honest reviews.

Build in Public on Twitter or LinkedIn

One surprisingly effective strategy?

Build in public.

Share your journey, your wins, and your failures as you’re developing your SaaS. Platforms like Twitter (now X) and LinkedIn are great for this—founders and indie makers love cheering each other on. For example, posting something like “Just hit 27 users on our pre-launch SaaS—here’s what’s working and what’s not 👇” can spark genuine curiosity, feedback, and even new signups. Use hashtags like #buildinpublic, #SaaS, and #indiehacker, and tag relevant communities. Some of our earliest paying users came from these posts—simply because we showed up, shared honestly, and asked questions.

Leverage Developer and Tech Communities

These folks love early-stage tools—especially if you’re solving an annoying technical problem.

Platforms to Post and Engage

• GitHub – Create a public API wrapper or demo repo. Star other cool projects and interact.
• Reddit – Don’t just post. Comment on other threads first. Then launch in r/startups or r/EntrepreneurRideAlong.
• Indie Hackers – Share a “Build in Public” post. “Month 1: 23 users, 2 paying. Here’s what I’ve learned.”
• HN – Comment in threads on tools like yours. Ask questions. Make friends before you pitch.

Partner with Influencers and Micro-Communities

Collaborate with Niche Influencers

Look for micro-creators who:

• Talk about tools
• Review SaaS in your category
• Have 3k–30k followers

Offer them:

• A free premium account
• Early access
• Affiliate commission
• “Built with you in mind” messaging

You can also use platforms like SparkToro, Modash, or Heepsy to find influencers by topic, not just size.

Engage in Slack/Discord/Telegram Channels

Drop into:

• NoCodeDevs
• WIP.chat
• SaaS Alliance
• Designership
• Makerlog

Join conversations. Add value. Ask questions. Then casually say, “We just built something for that problem—mind if I DM you?”

Offer Incentives for Early Adopters

Launch with Special Deals

Early adopters love being first—but they also want a deal.

Try:

• $49 lifetime access (limit to 50 users)
• Founding member badge
• Exclusive access to roadmap voting

Use StackSocial, or even Gumroad to promote your offer

Create Referral Programs

Build something users can share proudly.

Example:

“Invite a friend, get 2 months free. They get 1 free too.”

Tools to use:

• Rewardful
• Viral Loops
• FirstPromoter

Start simple. Track who sends who. Email them personally to say thanks.

Iterate Based on Feedback

Use Feedback Loops

Set up:

• Post-onboarding survey: “Was anything confusing?”
• Exit intent popup: “Leaving? Anything missing?”
• In-app widget: Add “Have feedback?” link to every page

Early feedback led us to:

• Kill a bloated feature
• Rework onboarding to 3 steps
• Add Zapier integration (our most-requested feature)

Users felt heard—and stuck around longer.

Conclusion

Getting your first 100 users won’t happen by accident. It takes a mix of:

• Listening hard
• Showing up consistently
• Launching often (not just once)
• And treating every user like a partner

You won’t get it perfect. That’s okay. No one does.

But if you start small, ship fast, and stay curious—you’ll not only hit 100, you’ll build something people care about.