How to get your first users?
Hi,
So i have an idea for a Google Sheets (add-on) based ATS that is light weight and inexpensive.
I have used that to solve hiring problems at my current startup. I would like to find users who may have this problem. Particularly small business owners or independent recruiters might want to use it to save costs.
How should I go about getting first users?
Should I try to validate the problem a bit more. That is it really that needed or not?
I have tried to to hop in on reddit and asked a bunch of recruiters and it seems ATS is mostly their preference and Google Sheets is something they keep for personal record keeping.
I have joined a bunch of facebook groups too but havent found anything convincing yet.
There's a quick book called "The Mom Test" that I highly recommend you read. TLDR: It's about doing customer discovery by asking the right questions, not leading ones, that your product will soon form itself as a solution around a problem.
Hey, yeah i have read the book. It's quite good. Thanks for mentioning.
Also, quick question on that - how do you get someone interested to talk about their problem?
When cold reaching someone it's difficult to have them open up unless you can offer something.
Social Media is a best option to get first user
I have interviewed many indie makers in the past year and what most of them do is to go for the "Audience First Approach". Basically, they find a target audience, become part of it and then identify a problem. That way they can build the idea alongside with the target customers and is much easier to find their first customers.
I created a step by step guide to help with that in case you are interested in exploring that route
good luck
Thanks tiagorbf! I'll check it out.
I have joined some communities, hoping to find some leads there.
I'm going through a similar experience, and I don't think there's one way to get your first users. By hook or by crook, you will beg, borrow or steal until you get your first couple of users. By the time you reach 100, you will likely have identified a more scalable way to find users, but at the beginning, it's one by one.
Hey @rocketming: Yeah, i guess you are right. Thanks for this.
Sometimes one wants to be sure but i guess the way is to keep trying and find someone interested. Validation can come in with it.