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Where did you find your first 10 users?

Where did you find your first 10 users?

Key Takeaways

  • Identify your ideal first user: Who are they? What problem do you solve for them?
  • Build the absolute minimum (MVP, landing page, demo) to articulate your solution.
  • Leverage your personal network first for initial feedback and validation.
  • Join and actively participate in 2-3 niche online communities where your target users hang out.
  • Create a simple plan for collecting feedback from your first users and iterate on your product.

The First Ten: Why They’re Everything (And Why It’s Hard)

Look, getting those first 10 users isn’t just about revenue, especially if you’re offering something for free or in beta. It’s about data. It’s about feedback. It’s about understanding if your idea actually solves a real problem for real people, or if it’s just a cool idea in your own head.

More Than Just Numbers

These aren’t just anonymous sign-ups. These are your foundational users. They’re going to tell you what’s broken, what’s confusing, and what they actually want. They’re your first advocates, your unofficial marketing team if you treat them right. You need to talk to them, listen to them, and maybe even build with them.

Validation vs. Just Selling

Think about it like this: I’m trying to automate yield tracking and energy logging in my plant factory, right? If I built an app for that, my first users would absolutely be other plant farmers, maybe even my own co-op members. I wouldn’t be trying to sell them a subscription initially. I’d be trying to validate that my tool saves them time or money, that it actually helps them manage their electricity costs (which, let me tell you, are 40-50% of my operating costs). If it does, then the selling part comes naturally later.

These first users are your biggest learning opportunity. Don’t skip it.

Where did you find your first 10 users?
Where did you find your first 10 users?

Do You Even Need a Finished Product? (Spoiler: No)

This is a big one. So many folks get stuck in development hell, trying to perfect every single pixel or feature before they even show it to anyone. Huge mistake. You absolutely do NOT need a fully developed product to get your first 10 users. In fact, it’s probably better if you don’t.

The MVP Mindset

Ever heard of an MVP? Minimum Viable Product. It’s basically the simplest version of your idea that still delivers core value. For my plant factory IoT solution, an MVP might just be a dashboard showing real-time temperature and humidity readings, with a basic alert system. No fancy AI, no predictive analytics. Just the bare bones to prove the concept and get initial feedback.

My advice? Build the absolute minimum. A landing page. A simple demo. A prototype. Something that articulates your solution without being complete. People are surprisingly willing to sign up for something that doesn’t even exist yet, as long as the promise is compelling.

Pre-Sales & Waiting Lists

Imagine I want to launch a new, premium brand of makgeolli using Icheon rice. I wouldn’t brew thousands of liters first. I’d create a beautiful website, talk about the craft, maybe offer a limited pre-order for a tasting set. That’s building a waiting list. Those first 10 people who sign up and pay for a future product? Gold. It shows demand, and it gives you some capital to actually finish the thing. For SaaS, this often looks like a waiting list for early access or a beta program.

It also gives you leverage. Imagine telling potential investors, “We have 500 people on a waiting list who’ve expressed interest in our product.” That’s a powerful statement.

Your Warmest Leads: Starting with What You Know

Forget cold outreach for a minute. The absolute easiest place to find your first users is often right under your nose.

Friends, Family, and Folks You Trust

Yeah, I know. It sounds cliché. And sometimes it can be awkward. But these are the people who are most likely to give you honest feedback, even if it’s painful. They’ll probably be more forgiving of bugs and incomplete features. Plus, they might just genuinely want to help you succeed.

When I was trying to get our eco-friendly soybeans into more school cafeterias, my network within the cooperative was invaluable. People knew me, knew our mission. They were more inclined to listen, to make an introduction. It’s not about strong-arming them into being users, but asking for their genuine thoughts, and if they see value, asking them to try it out.

Pros:

  • High trust, easy feedback
  • Forgiving of early-stage issues
  • Potentially your first advocates

Cons:

  • Feedback can be biased (they want to be nice)
  • Limited scalability
  • Can feel a bit weird

Leveraging Local Connections (Like My Co-op)

This goes beyond just friends. Think about your community, your industry. I run a government-supported eco-friendly soybean farming cooperative here in Icheon-si. We have about 100 members. If I built that smart agriculture IoT solution, who are the first people I’d show it to? My fellow cooperative members! They’re experiencing the same pain points: electricity costs, yield tracking, labor. They speak my language. They know the challenges.

This is a much stronger validation than asking a random stranger. These aren’t just users; they’re potential partners, beta testers, and sources of incredibly valuable, hyper-relevant feedback. Look for similar groups in your niche – local business chambers, industry associations, online communities for specific professionals.

Free Channels That Actually Work for Early Adopters

You don’t always need a massive marketing budget. There are plenty of places to hustle for those first 10 users without spending a dime. Just time and effort.

Online Communities & Forums

This is 👉 my top pick for finding early users on a budget. Seriously, if you’re not in relevant online communities, you’re missing out. Think Reddit, Discord, specialized forums, Facebook Groups, even Slack communities related to your niche.

Here’s the thing: You can’t just barge in and spam your product link. That’s a quick way to get banned. Instead:

  1. Be a genuine participant: Answer questions, offer advice, contribute value *first*.
  2. Listen: What are people complaining about? What problems are they trying to solve? This is product research in real-time.
  3. Introduce your solution subtly: Once you’ve established credibility, you can say, “Hey, I’ve been working on something that addresses exactly this problem. Would anyone be interested in checking out an early version and giving me some feedback?”

For my mealworm fertilizer venture, I’d be hanging out in gardening forums, organic farming groups, even hydroponics subreddits. I wouldn’t just say, “Buy my mealworm fertilizer!” I’d ask, “What are your biggest challenges with soil amendments? Has anyone tried insect frass? I’m developing something, interested in beta testers.”

Content Marketing (Even Simple Stuff)

This doesn’t mean writing a 3000-word SEO-optimized article from day one (though eventually, yes, do that). It means creating helpful content that naturally attracts your target user.

  • Blog posts: Answer specific questions related to the problem your product solves.
  • Video tutorials: Short, punchy videos explaining a concept.
  • LinkedIn posts: Share your insights and expertise.
  • Case studies: Even early, rough ones. Show how your solution *could* help someone.

If I was launching an app to track energy usage in smart farms, I’d write a blog post titled, “How I Cut My Plant Factory’s Electricity Bill by 15% with Smart Monitoring.” Then, at the end, I’d mention, “This is exactly why I’m building ‘FarmWatt Pro’ – an app to help you do this automatically. Sign up for early access!”

Strategic Beta Programs

Offering a limited-time free trial or a beta program to a select group of users is fantastic. It incentivizes them to try your product and gives you valuable feedback before a wider launch. Make it exclusive, make them feel special. Ask for their honest thoughts in exchange for free access or a discounted rate post-beta.

This works for almost anything, from my IoT farm sensors to a new skincare ingredient line I’m exploring. Who wants to be the first to try out a cutting-edge ingredient derived from Icheon rice? A small group of beauty bloggers or enthusiasts, that’s who. They get early access, I get feedback and word-of-mouth.

B2B vs. B2C: Different Strokes for Different Folks

The game changes a bit depending on whether you’re selling to businesses (B2B) or individual consumers (B2C). Both need those first 10 users, but the approach differs.

The B2B Hustle: Relationships & Problem Solving

With B2B, you’re selling to someone who has a budget, a specific job, and a clear problem they need solved. My plant factory’s electricity costs are a clear problem. A restaurant’s need for consistent, quality produce is another. Businesses aren’t usually swayed by flashy ads alone; they want to see ROI.

  • Direct Outreach: LinkedIn is your friend. Find people in roles who would benefit from your product. Craft personalized messages. Referrals are gold.
  • Industry Events: Trade shows, conferences. Yeah, they cost money, but the connections you make can be priceless. Shake hands, demo your product, gather business cards.
  • Targeted Content: Whitepapers, case studies, webinars. Show them you understand their pain points and have a credible solution.

When my cooperative was trying to get into Gyeonggi-do school cafeterias, it wasn’t about a mass email blast. It was about building relationships with procurement officers, showcasing our quality, talking about our eco-friendly practices, and getting a few trial runs. It’s slow, deliberate, and built on trust.

The B2C Grind: Hooks & Hype

B2C is often about volume and virality, even for those first 10. Consumers are driven by desire, convenience, aspiration. You need to capture attention fast.

  • Social Media: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube. Visuals are key. Show, don’t just tell.
  • Influencers (micro-influencers especially): Find people with small but engaged followings in your niche. Offer them your product for free in exchange for an honest review.
  • Viral Loops: Can you build in a referral program that incentivizes users to bring in friends? “Invite 3 friends, get your first month free!”

If I were launching that craft makgeolli, I’d be all over food Instagram, partnering with local Korean food bloggers, hosting tasting events, creating aesthetically pleasing content. It’s about creating a buzz and making people *want* to try it because it looks cool or delicious or unique.

Budgeting for Early Wins: What to Expect

How much should you budget for those first 10 users? Honestly, if you’re smart about it, close to zero actual cash. Your biggest investment at this stage is your time.

How Much to Spend (Or Not Spend)

For my smart agriculture projects, a test plot with sensors and IoT can run ₩5M to ₩7.5M (roughly $3,700-$5,500 USD). That’s a significant investment just to *build* the thing. You don’t want to then dump another chunk of cash into advertising for your first 10 users. It just doesn’t make sense.

Focus on free channels first. Your streaming-gaming-habits-cancel-renew/” class=”auto-internal-link”>personal network, niche forums, thoughtful content. If you *do* spend, make it highly targeted:

  • Small ad budget for A/B testing: Maybe $50-$100 to test different headlines or value propositions on Facebook or Google Ads to see what resonates. Don’t expect 10 users from this, just insights.
  • Software tools: Email marketing (Mailchimp free tier), landing page builder (Carrd, Leadpages).
  • Networking costs: Coffee meetings, attending a local meetup (often free or low cost).

The goal isn’t to buy your first 10 users. It’s to earn them through genuine connection and by offering real value. If you’re spending hundreds or thousands for your first 10, something is probably wrong with your product-market fit or your targeting.

The Value of Your Time

This is where the real cost is. Spending hours in forums, crafting personalized emails, meeting people for coffee, refining your pitch. This is manual, slow, and often frustrating work. But it’s also the most valuable. You’re not just getting users; you’re doing deep market research, learning what resonates, and building the foundation for future growth.

Think of it as sweat equity. It’s expensive, but it pays dividends down the line.

Platforms That Punch Above Their Weight

So, where do you actually go online to find these mythical early adopters?

Reddit & Discord: Niche Powerhouses

👉 Best free platform for diverse niches. These are goldmines. Reddit has subreddits for literally everything – r/SideProject, r/SaaS, r/startups, r/mealworms (yes, really!), r/gardening, r/koreanfood. Find the ones where your target audience hangs out.

  • Reddit: Search for keywords related to your product. Read posts. See what problems people are discussing. Participate. Then, when appropriate (and following subreddit rules!), mention your solution. Be humble. Ask for feedback.
  • Discord: Similar to Reddit, but often more real-time and community-focused. Many SaaS products, gaming communities, and tech projects have their own Discord servers.

Remember: provide value first, ask for feedback second. Don’t just dump a link.

LinkedIn & Industry Events: B2B Gold

👉 Top pick for B2B. For B2B, LinkedIn is non-negotiable. It’s where professionals network and solve problems. You can identify specific job titles and companies that would benefit from your solution.