Free–$ · Weeks · Easy
Build an Email List / Waitlist
Collect interested users before you write a line of code.
7 real examples
Zero2OneEvery way to market
your product.
Organized by stage, explained step by step, proven with real examples. Built for founders who can build but don't know how to sell.
Where are you right now?
21 playbooks · 168 cited sources · free to read, no signup
See what builders launched →142 sourced examples from companies like
Robinhood
Harry's
Dropbox
Superhuman
Monzo
Levels
Midjourney
Notion
Figma
Webflow
Peloton
Lenny's Community
The library
Every tactic, by stage.
21 proven ways to get your first users, sorted into three stages. Every one has a full playbook with real examples, steps and templates. Upvote the ones that worked for you.
01Pre-product
Prove people want it first.
6 of 6 playbooks ready
Free · Weeks · Medium
Create a Private Community
A Telegram, Discord or WhatsApp group where early believers gather.
8 real examples
$$ · Weeks · Medium
Influencer Pre-Launch Content
Seed your product with creators your audience already trusts.
7 real examples
Free · Months · Easy
Build in Public (X / LinkedIn)
Document the journey; the audience arrives before the product.
8 real examples
$ · Days · Easy
Landing Page + Smoke Test
A fake door that measures real demand before you build.
8 real examples
Free · Days · Medium
Customer Interviews & Research
Talk to 20 real prospects before deciding what to build.
6 real examples
02While building
Grow the audience while you ship.
6 of 6 playbooks ready
Free · Weeks · Easy
Waitlist Nurturing Emails
Weekly value emails that keep your list warm until launch.
5 real examples
Free · Weeks · Medium
Beta / Early-Access Program
Turn waiting users into invested testers and advocates.
8 real examples
Free · Weeks · Medium
Content Seeding in Niche Communities
Show up with value where your users already gather.
7 real examples
Free · Months · Easy
Founder-Led Social
Your personal account documents the build and sells the vision.
6 real examples
$ · Weeks · Medium
Pre-Launch PR & Directory Listings
One good story placed early plus every directory that matters.
7 real examples
$ · Weeks · Medium
Referral-Ready Waitlist
Queue positions and rewards that make your list share itself.
8 real examples
03Post-launch
Turn a live product into growth.
9 of 9 playbooks ready
Free · Months · Hard
Content Marketing (SEO / YouTube)
Publish what your customers search for; compound for years.
6 real examples
$$$ · Days · Medium
Paid Ads (Google / Meta / Reddit)
Buy attention with measurable return — once unit economics work.
8 real examples
Free · Months · Easy
Networking & Communities
Be a known, helpful presence in the rooms your buyers sit in.
8 real examples
$$$ · Weeks · Medium
Event Sponsorship & Participation
Concentrated access to your exact buyers, on and off the booth.
8 real examples
Free · Months · Medium
Partnerships & Co-Marketing
Borrow a complementary company's audience; lend them yours.
6 real examples
$$ · Weeks · Medium
Influencer Marketing (Post-Launch)
Pay creators for reach with attribution you can track.
6 real examples
Free · Days · Hard
Cold Outreach (Email / DM / Field)
Go directly to named buyers with a specific, relevant offer.
5 real examples
Free · Days · Easy
Launch Platforms (PH / HN)
One well-prepared day in front of early-adopter crowds.
5 real examples
$ · Months · Medium
Referral & Word-of-Mouth Programs
Reward existing users for bringing the next ones.
5 real examples
Builder showcase
Launched by founders using these playbooks.
Your product could be the first one here.
Using any tactic from the library? Submit your product, pick up to three tactics you used, and we'll feature it here and on each playbook — free, reviewed by a person.
Cited, not invented
Every result in a playbook links back to the founder post, interview or press story it came from.
No paid placements
Companies can't buy a spot in a playbook or the showcase. Featured products are chosen on merit.
Real votes only
Vote counts start at zero and only move when a signed-in member votes: one person, one vote. They decide which playbooks we update and add next.
Corrections welcome
Spot a wrong number or an outdated claim? Tell us and we'll fix it, with the date we changed it.
Get new playbooks the day they ship.
One short email when we publish a new playbook or a major update. No spam, and we never share your address. Privacy