The Best (and Worst) Ways to Get Your First 100 Customers

Let’s be honest: getting your first 100 customers is hard. Like, “question your life choices” hard. You built something awesome. Youknowit solves a real problem. So why aren’t people flocking to it like it’s free pizza at the end of a long meetup?

I had the chance to work in the early beginnings of several SaaS startups, I'm talking from zero users. So, I know your dilemma against struggle and excitement. Endlessly refreshing analytics dashboards, sending cold emails that were mostly ghosted, social media efforts with bare minimum followers, praying $50 Google Ads budget would go viral, etc. Spoiler: not all the efforts worked quite as I expected.

Here’s the thing most SaaS founders, developers, and even some marketers get wrong in the early days: they chasevolumeinstead ofintent. At this stage, you don’t need a million impressions. Everett Rogers introduced Diffusion of Innovations Theory, which is accepted as the foundation for understanding and categorizing a new product's customers.


According to Rogers' theory, the first few people are called innovators. At the early stages of your product launch, your need the innovators who actually care, use the product, and tell others. You should adapt your aim according to them.

So, let’s talk about what works to land those innovators.

Why Early-Stage Customer Acquisition Is Different

Early-stage is its own beast. Your brand has zero recognition. Your product might still be buggy. You don’t even know what messaging resonates yet. This means that flashy, expensive tactics like running ads or partnering with huge influencers probably won’t do the trick. At least, not yet.

What youcando is go scrappy, lean, and intentional. These aren’t just theories, I’ve tried (and survived) each of these and I'm here to share what worked, what didn't, and how you can avoid the same failures I faced with.

1. Community Engagement

Here is a story about one of the most successful developer-centric SaaS products I’ve worked on:

By the time I joined the team, the product already had traction and a big part of that success came from something many teams overlook: community engagement. When I landed on that team and started to take over my part for community engagement, I even became friends with some of the users and after leaving that team, I am still in contact with them.

The thing that built the foundation of that community was simply answering GitHub issues related to the very problem the product solved. No pitching. No links. Just thoughtful, helpful responses. It built credibility, trust, and over time, it led to a loyal user base thatwantedto try what we were building. Because they already felt like they were part of it.

That’s the thing: communities aren't just “distribution channels.” They are ecosystems. And if you treat them well; share knowledge, offer support, ask real questions, they give back. If you treat them like megaphones, you will get ignored (or worse, banned).

I’ve since seen the same thing play out across Facebook and LinkedIn groups, niche Discord servers, subreddits, niche forums, etc. The playbook? Go where your users are. Lurk. Listen. Then contribute something useful.

Pro tip:Sometimes the best “launch” isn’t on Product Hunt - it’s replying to that one Reddit thread with just the right comment.

✅ What to do:

• Know your stuff.
• Be an actual human (please).
• Answer questions without dropping links.
• Share your experience and process.
• Join early, not just when you need users.

❌ What not to do:

• Treat the community like free ad space.
• Post your launch link with “Any feedback?” and disappear.
• Ignore feedback or questions once you get attention.

I genuinely believe that cherishing your community early on is one of the most powerful growth strategies there is. Ignoring it is missing the opportunity and leaving money on the table.

2. Cold Outreach Done Right (Personalized Emails, LinkedIn)

Cold outreach has a bad reputation. Honestly, it’s well-deserved when done wrong. I’ve been on both sides of the inbox. I’ve seen messages that looked like they were written by a robot in 2012 and others that actually made me pause, smile, and respond.

When I was helping a SaaS tool gain traction for its beta version, I tried something different: Iactuallytook the time to check out who I was messaging. One time, I noticed someone had recently posted on LinkedIn a complaint about how their event management tool was overcomplicated. So I replied with something like, “Totally hear you! Setting up a simple gathering registration shouldn’t require a PhD. We've built something dead simple. Mind if I share it?”

Not only did they reply; they joined the beta and ended up giving feedback we used to improve the UX and our feature set. That message took 3 minutes to write. No fancy automation. No “first name” merge fields. Just real context and a human tone.

✅ What to do:

• Show you’ve done your homework.
• Keep it short (really short).
• Lead with relevance: a tweet, LinkedIn post, or comment they made.
• Give something useful without asking for a calendar invite.

❌ What not to do:

• Copy-paste templates that start with “Hope this email finds you well…”
• Sending the same message to 500 people and hoping for the best.
• Leading with features instead of actual problems people have.

Even if they say no, thoughtful cold outreach gets remembered. I've had people reach back outmonthslater, saying “Hey, I remember you sent me that message about [your tool]. I'm ready to check it out now.”

Good cold outreach isn’t salesy. It’s starting a conversation with someone who might actually benefit from what you built.

3. SEO & Content (Long-Term but Worth the Effort)

Here’s the truth: SEO is like planting a tree. You water it, talk to it (optional), and for weeks-nothing. Then comes the leads one by one. You can check out my article Why and How: SEO is a Marathon, Not a Sprint for more information, if you like to learn more about it.

Early in one of my roles, I saw a simple post that we didn’t think much of it ended up landing on Google Discover, got picked up in a niche newsletter, and boom - hundreds of traffic in a day. That post still brought in leads months later. It’s the closest thing to passive growth early on.

That single blog post brought in more qualified leads over time than some paid campaigns we ran. No exaggeration. And unlike ads, which disappear when the budget runs out, content keeps working while you sleep.

✅ What to do:

• Focus on solving actual problems your audience is Googling (not your “vision”)
• Use long-tail keywords; they’re easier to rank for and often show higher intent
• Promote your content in the right places: LinkedIn, Reddit, newsletters, Facebook groups

❌ What not to do:

• Obsess over high-volume keywords with zero relevance
• Write fluff that no one finishes reading
• Publish and pray - distribution matters just as much as creation

Done right, content marketing becomes your stealth growth engine. People discover you without you chasing them. It's the closest thing to passive acquisition in the early days. Believe me, when your calendar starts filling up thanks to a post you wrote three months ago, it feelsmagical.

4. Referral Programs (Encouraging Word-of-Mouth)

You don’t need to build the next Dropbox-style viral machine. A simple “Give $10, get $10” setup can work wonders,even on marketers like me.

Here’s proof: I use a bank that offers cash rewards every time someone signs up using my referral code. Nothing too fancy, just real money in my account when someone joins. And guess what? Iactuallyshare it with people. Not because I’m trying to be pushy, but because I’m happy with the service. And hey, I feel like I’m making money just by recommending something I already use!

If a referral system can nudge me, a marketer who knows exactly how the game is made and played, it can definitely work on your early users too.

So why not do the same with your SaaS tool? Add a basic referral system, make it effortless to share, and give both parties something small but meaningful.

✅ What to do:

• Make sharing easy, use one-click referral links. No friction, no confusion.
• Offer equal rewards, give something to both the referrerandthe new user.
• Use built-in templates, provide ready-to-go email and social text your users can copy-paste.
• Mention it inside the product, promote it subtly but visibly (on dashboards, confirmations, etc.).
• Track performance, know who’s referring, what works, and optimize from there.
• Be transparent, clearly state how and when rewards are given-no fine print tricks.

❌ What not to do:

• Don’t overcomplicate it. A confusing system with points, tiers, or approval steps kills momentum.
• Don’t offer lopsided rewards. If only one side benefits, it feels unfair and people won’t share.
• Don’t bury it. If your users can’tfindthe referral feature, they won’t use it.
• Don’t fake urgency. “Invite 5 friends in the next 24 hours or the world ends” = immediate opt-out.
• Don’t rely on it alone. A referral program isn’t magic. It only works if users already find your product valuable.

And most importantly? You need a product peoplewantto talk about. A referral program won’t save a tool no one loves—but itwillaccelerate growth if you’re already delivering value.

5. Partnerships & Integrations

One of the smartest moves I’ve seen? A founder teamed up with a SaaS tool that served thesamekind of users, but solved adifferentproblem. They built a simple integration, nothing wild, and co-hosted a short webinar. They even swapped blog posts.

Boom. Instantly in front of hundreds of potential users who were already pre-qualified.

Partnerships are like finding a friend at the cool kids’ table. Suddenly, you’re welcome too.

Even better? Integration with popular tools like Zapier or Slack can get your product listed on their directory, which is basically free traffic from users already looking to connect the dots.

✅ What to do:

• Identify complementary tools your audience already uses (not competitors!).
• Offer something mutually beneficial, cross-promotion, content swaps, integrations.
• Start small, a lightweight co-marketing campaign beats a 3-month dev cycle no one finishes.
• Aim for tools with existing audiences, bonus if they have an active community or email list.
• Think ecosystem-first, being part of a popular tech stack builds instant credibility.

❌ What not to do:

• Don’t force it. Random partnerships with misaligned audiences waste time and credibility.
• Don’t treat it as a one-and-done. Good partnerships are relationships, not transactions.
• Don’t over-engineer the integration. Ship something basic, test traction,thengo deeper.
• Don’t ignore timing, launch when both sides can actually promote (not during crunch times or product launches).

You don’t need a Fortune 500 partner to win. A tiny tool with an engaged user base can open doors you didn’t even know existed. It’s not just about exposure, it’s about tapping into trust that’s already built. Start small, move fast, and collaborate smart.

6. Affiliate Marketing

Here’s an underrated gem: tiny content creators.

I’ve worked with niche bloggers who had less than 2K followers. One of them wrote a detailed tutorial on our tool, ranked on Google, and kept bringing in signups month after month. The ROI? Incredible.

The best part? These creators are usually happy to work on performance-based deals. They care about their audience, they don’t demand thousands upfront, and if the product fits, they become authentic advocates.

Think of it aslong-tail influence. Less flash, more staying power.

✅ What to do:

• Start with micro-creators in your niche who actually understand your product.
• Offer generous affiliate terms, especially in the early stages.
• Help them succeed. Give them product access, talking points, and visuals.
• Track performance properly. Use reliable affiliate software or unique links.
• Build long-term relationships. Consider bonuses or exclusive offers for consistent partners.

❌ What not to do:

• Don’t chase big influencers right away. They’re pricey and often one-off.
• Don’t expect results overnight; affiliate content builds over time, especially for SEO.
• Don’t give vague offers; be clear on commission, cookie windows, and payment terms.
• Don’t forget compliance. Make sure creators disclose affiliate partnerships if required in your region.

Think of affiliate partners as your distributed sales team; except, they believe in your product and only get paid when it works. Show them love, track what moves the needle, and nurture those relationships. It’s one of the most sustainable growth channels you can build early on.

Choose the Right Mix

Here’s what I wish someone told me earlier: You don’t need to mastereverychannel. Just keep showing your presence in every platform possible until you receive qualitative and quantitative response. My favorite phrase for marketing is: TEST, TEST, TEST.

Test and pick the ones that showrealtraction, where people not only click, butsign up, engage,and ideally, pay. Trackwhat’s working.Talk to your users. Tweak the messaging. And if something feels like shouting into the void, pause it. No shame.

Your first 100 customers won’t come from a magic growth hack. They’ll come from your effort to be useful, human, and just a little relentless.

Want more actionable SaaS marketing insights? I share beginner level and foolproof tips for successful product marketing in detail, and real-world lessons to help you grow. Follow me for more! 🚀