How I Would Get the First 100 Users for a SaaS (Without an Audience)

Step 1: Validate the Idea in Communities

Before writing any code, test the idea.

Places to validate:

Reddit
founder communities
startup forums

Communities like Indie Hackers are perfect for early validation.

Ask questions like:

Would you use this?
What features matter most?
What would you pay?

If nobody cares about the problem, you saved months of work.

Step 2: Build a Landing Page First

Check out the best landing page examples

Before building the product, create a simple landing page.

Include:

problem description
solution
signup form
pricing idea

Collect emails from interested users.

If people sign up, your idea likely has demand.

Step 3: Find Early Users in Niche Communities

Your first users will likely come from niche communities.

Examples:

Reddit communities
Discord groups
Slack groups
founder forums

The key is to participate first and promote second.

Provide value before sharing your product.

Step 4: Launch on Product Platforms

When the product is ready, launch it on discovery platforms.

These platforms attract early adopters looking for new tools.

Many successful SaaS founders get their first 50–200 users from launch platforms alone.

Step 5: Write Problem-Focused Content

Content marketing works surprisingly well for early SaaS products.

Write articles about the problem your product solves.

Example:

If your SaaS helps with SEO:

“How to find low competition keywords”
“SEO strategies for startups”

Then naturally introduce your product as a solution.

Step 6: Direct Outreach

Cold outreach is underrated.

Find people who clearly have the problem your product solves.

Send short messages like:

“Hi, I built a tool that helps with [problem]. I’d love your feedback.”

Many founders get their first customers this way.

Step 7: Offer Early User Incentives

Give early adopters special perks:

lifetime discounts
early access
premium features

People love being early supporters.

Step 8: Ask Every User for Feedback

Your first users are incredibly valuable.

Ask them:

What do they like?
What’s missing?
What’s confusing?

Use their feedback to improve the product quickly.

Step 9: Turn Early Users into Advocates

If someone loves your product, ask them to:

share it
write a review
recommend it to friends

Word of mouth can drive significant growth.

Step 10: Focus on One Distribution Channel

Many founders try everything at once.

Instead, focus on one channel that works.

For example:

SEO
Reddit
cold outreach
partnerships

Master one channel before expanding.

Final Thoughts

Getting the first 100 users is about scrappiness, experimentation, and persistence.

Focus on:

solving a real problem
talking to users
improving the product

Once you have your first 100 users, growth becomes much easier.