How to Get First Users for SaaS: Proven Early Growth Strategies

Learn how to get your first SaaS users step by step. No ads, no hype — just practical strategies founders actually use. Before doing anything, you should find SaaS problems worth solving. If it isn't solving a problem, it will be very hard to get users even you built it perfectly. 

Introduction

Every SaaS founder including me, faces the same scary moment:

The product is live… and no one is using it.

Getting your first users is not about growth hacks or viral tricks. It’s about trust, clarity, and solving one real problem for a small group of people.

This guide explains how to get your first SaaS users, even if:

• You have no audience

• No marketing budget

• No social media presence

Why the First 100 Users Matter More Than the First 10,000

Your first users are not about revenue. They are about:

• Feedback

• Validation

• Direction

Early users help you understand:

• What problem you actually solved

• What messaging works

• What features matter

I'm telling you by experience a SaaS that grows slowly with real users beats a fast launch with fake traction.

Step 1: Narrow Your Target User Aggressively

The biggest mistake founders make is targeting “everyone”.

Instead of:

“This tool is for businesses”

Say:

“This tool is for solo founders who run blogs and want passive income”

How to narrow your user:

• One role (founder, student, marketer)

• One problem

• One situation

If you can’t describe your user in one sentence, you’re not ready to market.

Step 2: Start With Manual Outreach (Yes, Really)

Manual outreach is the fastest way to get your first users.

Places to find them:

• Reddit (problem-specific subreddits)

• Indie Hackers

• Twitter/X replies

• Discord communities

• Facebook niche groups

Important rule:
Never pitch immediately. Start by helping.

Example:

“I’m building something to solve this. Can I ask how you currently handle it?”

Step 3: Use Communities, Not Marketing Channels

Communities are where early users live.

Good communities:

• Indie Hackers

• Product Hunt (comments > launch day)

• Reddit (very carefully)

• Slack & Discord groups

Remember this, your first users come from conversations, not announcements.

Show up consistently and answer questions related to your product space.

Step 4: Offer a Clear “Early User” Benefit

People don’t join early-stage products without a reason.

Offer:

• Lifetime discounts

• Founder access

• Feature influence

• Free months

• Public credit

Make them feel like insiders, not customers.

Step 5: Build a Simple Landing Page That Explains One Thing

Your landing page should answer one question:

“Why should I care?”

Keep it simple:

• One problem

• One solution

• One call to action

Avoid:

• Buzzwords

• Long feature lists

• Generic taglines

 

Step 6: Use Content for Slow but Reliable Growth

Content works best before scale.

Create:

• One strong blog post solving the core problem

• A simple tutorial

• A comparison article

• A free tool related to your SaaS

This builds:

• Trust

• Search traffic

• Long-term users

Step 7: Build in Public (But With Purpose)

Building in public doesn’t mean posting everything.

Share:

• Problems you’re solving

• Lessons learned

• Small wins

• Honest failures

People follow clarity, not perfection.

Step 8: Turn Free Users Into Feedback Machines

Your first users should feel heard.

Do this:

• Personally message them

• Ask why they signed up

• Watch how they use the product

• Improve based on patterns

Truth:
Early SaaS success is mostly listening.

Common Mistakes That Kill Early SaaS Growth

• Waiting for “perfect” launch

• Building too many features

• Ignoring user feedback

• Copying big SaaS strategies too early

Your job early on is learning, not scaling.

Final Advice for First-Time SaaS Founders

Your first users won’t come from:

• Ads

• Press

• Virality

They come from:

• Conversations

• Helpfulness

• Solving one painful problem well

Start small. Be human. Grow from there.