Use case · SaaS and indie makers
How to get your first customers for a SaaS (the first 100)
Your first 100 SaaS customers come from doing things that don't scale: answering every “is there a tool that…” and “alternative to X” thread with an honest reply, listing on the directories and launch sites your buyers browse, and personally emailing the blogs and roundups that should mention you. It's slow, manual work, which is exactly why most founders stop doing it after week two.
Why launches don't produce customers
A launch day brings a spike of other makers, then nothing. Paid ads before product-market fit burn money finding out which message works. Content takes months to rank.
The people ready to switch are posting right now: “Notion is too slow for this, what else is there?”, “is there an app that tracks rent for small landlords?”. But they're spread across Reddit, Hacker News, X, Stack Exchange and niche forums, and each thread is only worth answering for a day or two.
How it works with Larvabot
- 1Your competitors become keywordsThe analysis lists your competitors and how people describe the problem, so Larvabot watches for “alternative to [competitor]” and the problem in plain words.
- 2Threads across 13 sourcesReddit, Hacker News, X, Threads, Stack Exchange, GitHub discussions (for developer tools), forums and more, scored for intent: asking, wants an alternative, unhappy with the status quo.
- 3Directories with copy writtenA checklist of free directories and launch sites that fit your product, with the listing copy written for each one and a Done box.
- 4Roundups and blogs to emailEmail campaigns find “best tools for…” articles and blogs in your space, and draft a short note to the author about why you belong in the list.
- 5See which channel workedThe tracking snippet attributes signups to threads, emails, directories and backlinks, so you know where to spend the next week.
Example
A rent-tracking app for small landlords
The founder adds the site. The analysis names three competitors and phrases like “track rent payments”, “spreadsheet for landlords”.
- A Reddit post in r/Landlord: “Is there an app that keeps track of rent payments for 3 units? Everything is built for property managers.” Score 93.
- The directory kit lists 24 relevant directories and launch sites, with a tagline and description written for each; the founder works through 5 a week.
- An email campaign finds “best landlord apps” roundups; the draft to one author points out the list has nothing under 5 units and offers a free account to test.
- After a few weeks, Reports shows which threads, directories and roundups actually sent visitors, so the founder knows where to spend the next week.
An illustrative example of how the workflow runs, not a real product or result.
See it in Larvabot
“Is there an app that keeps track of rent payments for 3 units? Everything I find is built for property managers with 200 doors.”
Why it's a lead: “Is there an app that keeps track of rent payments for 3 units?”
Your reply (draft)
For 3 units a good spreadsheet honestly does most of it (one tab per unit, conditional formatting for late rent). I built Rentbook because I outgrew mine at 4 units, so I'm biased: it tracks payments, sends tenants reminders and is free under 5 units. Happy to answer questions either way.
What Larvabot won't do
Worth knowing before you start:
- Larvabot doesn't submit to directories for you; it gives you the checklist and the copy, and you submit and tick it off.
- Hacker News and Reddit readers spot marketing instantly. The drafts help, but you still need a reply that's genuinely useful.
- It works on free API tiers, so a busy project may wait for the next day's quota on the AI or search side.
Send the leads where you work
Pipe every “alternative to” thread and every roundup that replies into Linear, Notion or your CRM with Zapier or Make, or pull them into your own dashboards with the Larvabot API.
Questions people ask
How do I get my first 100 users for a SaaS?
Talk to people who already have the problem: answer threads where they describe it, list on the directories they browse, and email writers who cover your category. Do it every day for a month and track which channel sends signups.
Is posting on Reddit and Hacker News worth it for a new SaaS?
Yes, in reply to people asking, with disclosure. Standalone promo posts mostly get removed, but a genuinely helpful answer in an “alternative to” thread can send signups for years, because those threads rank on Google.
Which directories should I launch a SaaS on?
The ones your buyers browse, not every list on the internet. Larvabot's directory kit picks directories, launch sites and communities that fit your product and writes the copy for each.
Try it on your own business
Add your website and Larvabot works out who your customers are and how they ask for what you sell, then brings you the posts and businesses worth answering, with a draft for each. 14 days free, no card required.