Those first 100 users? They matter more than your next thousand. They’re the ones who take a chance, give honest feedback, and help shape what your product becomes. But getting them—really earning them—takes more than a clever product idea and a landing page.
Solve a Specific Problem, Not a Broad One
Early-stage SaaS products win by solving one painful, well-defined problem. Not ten. Not “improving workflows.” Something sharper.
If your messaging sounds like it could apply to five other tools, it probably won’t stick. Find a pain point that’s both urgent and underserved. Talk to potential users. Listen for phrases like “I hate when…” or “we keep hacking this with spreadsheets.”
Your first users don’t need a platform. They need relief. And they need to see themselves in your story.
Get Uncomfortably Close to Your ICP
One of the biggest early wins? Spending real time with your ideal customer profile. Book discovery calls, not just surveys. Ask about their workflows, not just their problems.
These conversations often uncover positioning gold. The way your users describe their pain should echo in your headline copy, onboarding steps, and product UX.
And once you find a few folks who are intrigued, ask them to join a private beta. Make it feel exclusive. Personalize the invite. You’re not selling to a crowd—you’re building for a tribe.
Launch Small, But Loud
You don’t need a TechCrunch feature to start strong. You need a reason for people to care. Create a launch moment that feels personal and authentic.
A few ideas that work:
- Share your journey on LinkedIn or Twitter as you build.
- Publish a “why we built this” post.
- Offer early access to a waitlist or community.
- Host a live demo or founder Q&A.
These touchpoints build trust and show that you’re not just pushing a product—you’re creating something with real intent.
Make Onboarding Feel Like a Win
Your sign-up process is where interest becomes belief. Don’t bury new users in options or explanations. Guide them to their first “aha” moment as fast as possible.
Use onboarding checklists, seeded templates, or short product tours to create momentum. Keep it human. Add personal welcome emails or Slack community invites. These touches feel small but compound in value.
And if users get stuck? Reach out. Not with a chatbot, but a real message: “Saw you signed up—want help getting started?”
Why Agencies Help You Get There Faster
As a founder, you’re probably juggling product, fundraising, support, and a dozen other fires. You may have instincts about what resonates, but lack the time (or distance) to test everything effectively.
This is where a growth agency for SaaS can be a secret weapon. A seasoned agency brings the outside perspective and muscle you need to validate messaging, design conversion-focused pages, and run scrappy experiments that actually move the needle.
They’ve seen what it takes to get to 100 users. And more importantly, they know what not to waste time on. From cold outreach scripts to retargeting flows to funnel fixes—they help you skip the guesswork and get to traction sooner.
Just make sure you pick an agency that understands SaaS nuances and doesn’t rely on templated playbooks. The good ones act like an extension of your founding team.
Turn Users into Evangelists
When someone signs up and gets value, don’t stop there. Ask for feedback. Invite them to your roadmap. Offer them early access to new features.
People love being early. They love having influence. The more you involve them, the more likely they are to refer others, write about you, or become your loudest advocates.
Make it easy for them to share. Give them a one-click referral link or a simple tweet they can personalize. Recognition matters too—publicly thank your first users whenever you can.
Track What Matters (and Ignore the Rest)
At this stage, vanity metrics are dangerous. Don’t worry about impressions or site traffic unless they’re translating into product usage and feedback.
Track:
- Sign-ups to active usage rate
- Onboarding completion
- Activation moments (whatever counts as a first win)
- Net Promoter Score (even if it’s just from 12 people)
These insights tell you if your product is working. Not just technically, but emotionally. That’s what early traction looks like.
Final Thought: 100 Users is a Milestone, Not a Finish Line
Your first users are special. But they’re not your whole market. Once you hit 100, you’ll start seeing patterns—what messaging works, what features convert, what segments churn.
Use those insights to double down, refine, and grow. But never forget who helped you get started.
Because in SaaS, early adopters aren’t just customers. They’re co-creators. Treat them that way, and they’ll stick with you far beyond the first hundred.