Guides cold start strategy for AI/SaaS products: getting first users and traction when you have zero. The cold start problem is overcoming the chicken-and-egg barrier; most startups fail due to poor distribution, not product quality. For
indie hacker
context (first 100 users, Build in Public, Pieter Levels tactics), see
indie-hacker-strategy
.
When invoking
On
first use
, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On
subsequent use
or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Initial Assessment
Check for product marketing context first:
If
.claude/product-marketing-context.md
or
.cursor/product-marketing-context.md
exists, read it for product, audience, and positioning.
Low-cost ways to find and reach users who are already expressing need. Use when Product Hunt, directories, or forums are not enough.
Social Platform Search
Search Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Reddit, and niche communities for demand signals:
Signal
What to seek
Keywords
Industry terms, category keywords, "looking for [X] tool," "best alternative to [Y]"
Discussion
Industry threads, complaints about competitors, "anyone used…" or "recommend…" posts
Platform
Choose where your audience spends time (Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Reddit, Discord, vertical forums)
Freelance Platforms (Fiverr, Upwork)
Step
Practice
Search
Service requests related to your product (e.g. "need logo design," "looking for video editor")
Identify
Buyers in job descriptions or comments who have related needs
Reach
Offer help or tool recommendation; introduce product politely
Users often have clear need and budget; high intent.
Comment Outreach (Twitter/X, etc.)
Practice
Guideline
Search
Brand, category, "looking for AI tool," "best alternative to…"
Reply
Comment on posts where users express need; avoid spam
Tone
Sincere; honest that it's your product; invite trial and feedback
Avoid
Hard sell; copy-paste; repeated posting
Example outreach
"Hi, I'm building something similar. If you'd like to try it: [link]. Happy to hear any feedback—we're iterating actively."
Feedback collection
DM, email, survey, user interview, in-app feedback—choose by channel and context.
Multi-Channel Launch (6–7 Week)
Coordinated launch across channels yields 5–6× more users than single-channel:
Week
Focus
1–2
Audience building (LinkedIn 3×/week)
3–4
Beta; community engagement
5
Pre-launch countdown
6
Product Hunt + Reddit/Indie Hackers
7
Post-launch follow-up
Build in public
before launch—share progress, validate ideas, create invested audience. For indie hacker first 100 users, Build in Public content framework (40/30/20/10), Pieter Levels tactics →
indie-hacker-strategy
.
Pre-Launch
Validate demand
10–15 target user conversations; 20–30 before launch
Waitlist
8–12 weeks before launch; target 200–1,000 signups
Landing page
Ready; screenshots, description, media kit
Avoid
Perfectionism; large-scale paid ads before PMF—see
paid-ads-strategy
. Small-budget Google Ads for PMF testing is valid.
What Doesn't Work Early
Hiring SDRs before founder has closed 10 customers
Large-scale paid ads before product-market fit—see
paid-ads-strategy
. Small-budget PMF testing (e.g., $47–500 Google Ads + landing page) is valid.
Sporadic execution; "spray and pray" targeting
Mass submission to low-quality directories
Output Format
Channel
selection (2–3 channels; execute well)
Timeline
(pre-launch, launch, post-launch)
Readiness
checklist
Platform-specific
actions (Product Hunt, Reddit, etc.)