How Startups Get Their First Users
Startups get their first users by going directly to a narrow group of people with an urgent problem: personal networks, targeted outreach, communities where those people already gather, and hands-on onboarding. This work does not scale, and that is the point. Early users are a source of learning about the problem and product, not just growth.
Start narrow
Define a specific first user. Not everyone who might benefit, but a group you can name: a role, in a type of company, with a problem they are actively trying to solve. The narrower the group, the easier they are to find, the more precisely you can speak to their problem, and the faster word spreads among them.
Look for urgency. People already spending time or money on workarounds, complaining about the problem publicly, or asking for solutions are far more likely to try something new than people who agree the problem exists in principle.
Accept that early users are a learning sample. The goal of the first users is to discover whether the product solves the problem well enough that they keep using it, and what needs to change. Acquiring many users who leave teaches less than acquiring a few who stay and explain why.
Paul Graham's essay on doing things that do not scale describes this stage well: founders recruit users manually, one at a time, and serve them with an attention that would be impossible at scale.
Why launches disappoint
A launch reaches people who are curious, not people who urgently need the product. It can produce a burst of signups with weak retention. Use launches to reach early adopters after the direct work has shown who the product is for.
Channels that work early
Personal and professional networks. Former colleagues, customers from previous roles, and people introduced by investors or advisors. Warm introductions convert best and give the most honest feedback.
Direct outreach. Short, specific messages to people who fit the target profile, referencing their actual situation. Volume matters less than relevance.
Communities. Forums, professional groups, Slack and Discord communities, subreddits, and events where target users already gather. Contribute useful answers and insight, follow each community's rules on self-promotion, and mention the product where it genuinely fits. Many communities, including several startup subreddits, explicitly restrict promotion.
Content that answers their questions. Writing or videos that solve a real problem the target user searches for. Slower to build, and it compounds.
Existing platforms and marketplaces. Integrations, app directories, and marketplaces where target users already look for tools.
Launch platforms. Product launch sites and announcement posts can create a spike of attention. Treat them as a way to reach curious early adopters, not as a substitute for the direct work.
Partnerships. Companies that already serve the target user and benefit from offering something complementary.
Business customers
For products sold to businesses, early customers often come from design partnerships: a small number of companies that commit time to shape the product in exchange for early access, influence, and sometimes favourable pricing. Put expectations in writing, including what each side commits to.
Track where each user came from
Record the channel and the specific introduction or post behind every early user. After a few dozen, patterns appear in which sources bring users who stay, and those are the channels to double.
Turning first users into learning
Onboard personally. Set up accounts, join calls, and watch people use the product. Friction that is invisible in analytics becomes obvious in person.
Talk to every early user. Ask what problem they hoped to solve, what they tried before, what almost stopped them, and what would make them stop using it.
Measure retention by cohort. Whether early users come back matters more than how many signed up.
Find the users who love it. Identify what they have in common and focus on finding more people like them.
Ask for referrals from engaged users. People who get real value will often introduce others with the same problem.
Charge early where it makes sense. Payment is a stronger signal of value than usage alone.
Keep a record. Notes from conversations and onboarding sessions become the evidence behind product decisions and, later, the story told to investors.
The transition from unscalable to scalable acquisition happens once you know exactly who the product is for and why they stay. Before then, spending on scale mostly buys users who leave.
Frequently asked questions
- How do startups get their first users?
- By going directly to a narrow group of people with an urgent problem: personal and professional networks, targeted outreach, communities where those people gather, content answering their questions, and personal onboarding. The work does not scale, and its purpose is learning what makes users stay as much as growth.
- Should a startup use paid ads to get first users?
- Usually not as the main approach. Before a startup knows exactly who the product is for and why they keep using it, paid acquisition tends to buy users who leave. Direct outreach and personal onboarding teach more per user at this stage.
- How do you promote a startup in online communities?
- Contribute first: answer questions, share useful insight, and follow each community's rules, since many restrict self-promotion. Mention the product only where it genuinely helps someone's problem. Communities reward members who add value and quickly reject those who only advertise. Read each community's rules before posting.
- How many users does a startup need before raising money?
- There is no fixed number. Investors look for evidence that a specific group of users gets real value, shown by retention, engagement, willingness to pay, and referrals. A small group of highly retained users is often more persuasive than a large group that churns.