First customersBy Day Zero
Where to launch a startup before it's finished
Pre-launch startups find early users on BetaList, Product Hunt, Show HN, Indie Hackers and Reddit. To find early paying customers, bring a way to pay: a pre-launch lifetime-deal campaign.
In short
- Launch sites bring attention and signups, rarely payments.
- Launch where your users already are, and bring one link that lets them pay.
- Day Zero's weekly drop features one pre-launch founder's campaign each Thursday.
Before your product is finished, a launch is about finding your first users and early believers. A few places are built for that, each with its own audience.
| Where | Who's there | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| BetaList | Early adopters browsing pre-launch startups | Beta signups |
| Product Hunt | Makers and early adopters | Launch-day attention and feedback |
| Show HN on Hacker News | Developers and technical founders | Blunt feedback, especially on developer tools |
| Indie Hackers | Bootstrapped founders | Feedback and build-in-public updates |
| Reddit communities | People with a specific problem | Talking to your target users |
| Day Zero | Your own early believers, plus visitors to the weekly drop | Turning early believers into paying customers before launch |
Launch where your users are
A launch site gives you a day of attention. The users who stay usually come from communities where people already have the problem. Share what you're building there, help first, and link to one page.
Bring a way to pay
Attention fades fast. If your launch only collects emails, you're back to a waitlist. Give the people who get excited a way to back you right away: a limited number of founding seats as a lifetime deal. See how to get your first paying customers before you launch.
Day Zero's weekly drop
Every Thursday at 17:00 UTC, Day Zero opens one hand-picked founder's campaign as the drop. It becomes the Day Zero home page for the week, with a countdown before it opens and an email to everyone waiting for it. Every listing submitted to Day Zero is in the running, and listing is free.
The drop adds attention, but your first backers will still come mostly from your own audience. Share your Day Zero link wherever you launch; sales from it have a 0% Day Zero margin.
Questions
Should I pre-sell before or after launching on Product Hunt?
Either works. A pre-sale before Product Hunt gives you real users and something to show on launch day. A pre-sale after it gives the people who found you there a way to back you.