How to Find Your First 100 Customers: A Practical Guide for Startup Founders

Getting your first 100 customers is one of the most challenging yet crucial milestones for any startup. It’s the difference between an idea and a real business. But here’s the thing: the strategies that get you from 0 to 100 customers aren’t the same ones that’ll take you from 100 to 1,000.

This guide breaks down proven tactics used by successful startups like Airbnb, Dropbox, Buffer, and others to land their first 100 customers. No fluff, just actionable strategies showing how to get first customers you can implement today.

Why Your First 100 Customers Matter More Than You Think

Your first 100 customers aren’t just revenue – they’re your product development team, your marketers, and your proof of concept rolled into one. Understanding how to get first customers means recognising they’ll:

• Validate (or invalidate) your business idea
• Provide crucial feedback for product improvements
• Become your first brand ambassadors
• Generate case studies and testimonials
• Help you understand your true target market

As Harvard Business School professor Thales Teixeira explains, successful startups like Airbnb and Uber didn’t try to scale immediately. Instead, they focused on learning from their initial customers with imperfect products, competing where there were no other options.

The Core Principles Before You Start

1. Do Things That Don’t Scale

Paul Graham’s famous advice holds true when figuring out how to get first customers. Your first 100 customers require personal attention that won’t work at scale – and that’s exactly the point.

2. Focus on One Channel First

Buffer’s co-founder Leo Widrich acquired 100,000 users in 9 months using primarily one strategy: guest blogging. He wrote 150 guest posts in less than a year, focusing entirely on this single channel before diversifying.

3. Target Where Competition Doesn’t Exist

Airbnb launched during major conferences when hotels had 100% occupancy. Uber targeted post-event crowds when taxis were impossible to find. Find moments where you’re the only option.

Strategy #1: Tap Your Personal Network (But Do It Right)

Start With Your Inner Circle

When learning how to get first customers, your initial 10-20 will likely come from people you already know. But here’s how to approach them professionally:

The Three-Tier Approach:

1. Tier 1 (Close contacts): Friends, family, former colleagues
2. Tier 2 (Warm contacts): LinkedIn connections, acquaintances
3. Tier 3 (Loose connections): Friends of friends, community members

The Ask Framework: Instead of directly selling, use this template:

“Hey [Name], I’m working on [product] that helps [target audience] with [specific problem]. Do you know anyone in your network who might find this valuable? I’d really appreciate if you could connect me with them.”

This approach:

• Doesn’t put them on the spot
• Leverages their network
• Maintains the relationship

Key Insight: You’re Not Selling, You’re Learning

In early customer development, your goal isn’t to close sales – it’s to understand pain points. Each conversation should teach you something about your market.

Strategy #2: Guest Blogging and Content Marketing

Buffer’s explosive growth story proves this works. Here’s their exact playbook:

The Buffer Method:

1. Start small: Use platforms like My Blog Guest and BloggerLinkUp
2. Build credibility: Share your early posts as examples
3. Scale up: Approach bigger blogs once you have a portfolio
4. Track religiously: Measure signups from each post

Leo Widrich’s Actual Guest Post Pitch:

Subject: Guest post for [Blog Name]?

Hi [Name],

I’m a huge fan of [specific post they wrote] – especially the part about [specific detail].

I write about [topic] and recently published posts on [Blog 1] and [Blog 2]. 

Would you be interested in a guest post about [specific topic relevant to their audience]? 

I’d love to propose 3 ideas:

– [Idea 1 with brief description]

– [Alternative approach: Idea 2 with brief description]

– [Final option: Idea 3 with brief description]

Happy to write on something else if these don’t fit!

Best,

[Your name]

Pro Tips:

• Write 2-3 posts daily when starting
• Focus on sites your target customers read, not just high-traffic sites
• Always include actionable takeaways
• Link to your product naturally, not forcefully

Strategy #3: Leverage Existing Platforms (The Airbnb Model)

Find Where Your Customers Already Are

Airbnb’s founders famously cross-posted their listings to Craigslist, tapping into an existing user base looking for accommodation. They developed software to extract contact information from property owners on Craigslist and invited them to list on Airbnb.

Modern equivalents:

• Facebook Groups
• Reddit communities
• LinkedIn Groups
• Slack communities
• Discord servers
• Industry forums

The Platform Hijacking Playbook:

1. Identify 3-5 platforms where your target customers are active
2. Become a valuable member first (2-4 weeks of genuine participation)
3. Share value, not promotions (80/20 rule: 80% helpful content, 20% subtle product mentions)
4. DM interested members individually with personalized messages

Example Industries and Their Platforms:

• B2B SaaS: LinkedIn Groups, Twitter, IndieHackers
• E-commerce: Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook Groups
• Developer Tools: GitHub, Dev.to, Hacker News
• Creative Tools: Behance, Dribbble, Creative Market forums

Strategy #4: Create a Viral Moment (The Dropbox Approach)

Dropbox went from 5,000 to 75,000 signups overnight with one simple demonstration video posted on Digg. The video showed exactly how the product worked and was targeted at a community of technology early adopters.

Elements of a Viral Launch:

1. Simple demonstration of core value
2. Target early adopters on the right platform
3. Show, don’t tell approach
4. Community-specific references (Dropbox included tech insider jokes)

Modern Viral Launch Channels:

• Product Hunt
• Hacker News
• Reddit (relevant subreddits)
• Twitter threads
• TikTok (for consumer products)
• LinkedIn posts (for B2B)

The Launch Sequence:

1. Pre-launch: Build relationships with 20-30 potential advocates
2. Launch day: Coordinate your network to upvote/share
3. Momentum phase: Respond to every comment, ride the wave
4. Follow-up: Convert attention into email subscribers

Strategy #5: The Power of Word-of-Mouth

The Math of Organic Growth

If just 10% of your customers refer one person per month:

• Month 1: 10 customers → 11 customers
• Month 6: ~17 customers
• Month 12: ~31 customers
• Month 29: 100+ customers

How to Trigger Word-of-Mouth:

1. Exceed expectations on customer service
2. Create shareable moments (surprise features, delightful experiences)
3. Make sharing easy with built-in tools
4. Incentivize without being pushy (Dropbox’s extra storage model)

Strategy #6: Cold Outreach That Actually Works

The Anti-Spam Approach:

Instead of mass emails, focus on quality:

Research Phase (30 minutes per prospect):

• Find specific pain points they’ve mentioned online
• Note recent company news or achievements
• Identify mutual connections

The Outreach Formula:

Subject: Quick question about [specific thing they mentioned]

Hi [Name],

Saw your post about [specific challenge] in [where you saw it]. 

We helped [similar company] solve this exact problem by [specific result].

Worth a quick 15-minute call to share what worked for them?

[Your name]

P.S. [Personalized detail showing you did research]

Success metrics:

• Aim for 20-30% response rate
• 10-15% meeting acceptance
• 2-5% conversion to customers

Strategy #7: Events and Communities

Virtual and Physical Presence:

Even with limited budget, you can leverage events:

Low-Budget Event Strategies:

1. Attend, don’t sponsor: Network aggressively at relevant events
2. Host small meetups: Organize informal gatherings for your target market
3. Piggyback on large events: Use tools like Mention to find attendees on social media
4. Speaking opportunities: Offer to speak for free at relevant events

Community Building:

Start your own micro-community:

• Slack group for your industry
• Weekly Twitter chats
• Monthly virtual meetups
• Email newsletter with curated content

Strategy #8: The Snowball Effect

Marie from Llama Life explains this perfectly: each small win becomes leverage for the next.

The Snowball Sequence:

1. Launch on Product Hunt → Get #3 Product of the Day
2. Share that achievement on Reddit → Post performs well
3. Tweet about Reddit success → Gains Twitter traction
4. Each platform builds on the previous success

Measuring Success: Key Metrics for Your First 100

Track These Numbers:

1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) per channel
2. Conversion rate from lead to customer
3. Time to conversion (how long from first touch to purchase)
4. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) early indicators
5. Referral rate (how many customers refer others)

The Buffer Approach to Measurement:

Buffer calculated the exact dollar value of each guest post:

• 100 signups from a post
• 2% conversion to paid
• $250 lifetime value per customer
• = $500 value per guest post

This let them focus on the most profitable channels.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Trying to Scale Too Early

Your first 100 customers need personal attention. Don’t automate yet.

2. Casting Too Wide a Net

Better to have 100 customers who love you than 1,000 who are lukewarm when learning how to get first customers.

3. Ignoring Customer Feedback

Your early customers are your co-founders. Listen to them obsessively.

4. Giving Up Too Soon

Buffer’s first guest posts “barely drove any traffic.” Persistence pays off when building your first 100 customers.

5. Focusing on Vanity Metrics

Users don’t matter if they don’t engage. Revenue matters more than registrations.

Your 30-Day Action Plan

Foundation – Week 1

• List 50 people in your network (tiers 1-3)
• Join 5 communities where your customers hang out
• Set up basic analytics to track conversions

Outreach – Week 2

• Contact 25 people from your network
• Write your first guest post
• Engage genuinely in chosen communities

Content & Visibility – Week 3

• Publish 3 pieces of valuable content
• Reach out to 5 blogs for guest posting
• Plan your Product Hunt or similar launch

Optimize & Scale – Week 3

• Analyze which channels are working
• Double down on the top 2 performing strategies
• Set up referral mechanisms

The Bottom Line

Getting your first 100 customers isn’t about having the perfect product or a massive marketing budget. Understanding how to get first customers is about:

1. Starting where you are with what you have
2. Focusing intensely on one or two channels
3. Providing massive value before asking for anything
4. Building genuine relationships, not just transactions
5. Learning from every single interaction

Remember: Airbnb started with air mattresses, Dropbox with a simple video, and Buffer with one person writing blog posts. Your first 100 customers are out there – you just need to start.

Resources and Tools

Guest Blogging:

• My Blog Guest
• BloggerLinkUp
• HARO (Help a Reporter Out)

Community Finding:

• Reddit Subreddit Stats
• Facebook Group Search
• Slack Community List
• GrowthHackers Community

Analytics:

• Google Analytics (free)
• Mixpanel (free tier)
• Hotjar (user behavior)

Outreach:

• Hunter.io (find emails)
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator
• Calendly (booking meetings)

What’s your biggest challenge in finding your first customers? What strategy will you try first?

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