HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Build in Public Until the Right People DM You

Build in Public Until the Right People DM You is a social & short-form tactic for getting your first users: By sharing the newsletter openly, the founder got a startup operator (Sam DeBrule) reaching out to chat, which turned into a co-created Twitter thread for distribution and ultimately a job that was never even posted publicly.

It's a strong fit for Newsletters / media teams, and works especially well for Solo founders, creators, people building an audience. As a social & short-form play, plan for medium effort and expect results to build gradually over time, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Social & short-formMedium effortSlow

Why does social & short-form work for this?

Public building surfaces inbound interest you can't manufacture, and one engaged contact can open doors that applications never will.

The exact steps (4)

The full step-by-step this founder ran, what they posted, where, and in what order, plus the watch-outs, is part of the library.

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Sources

Works for
Newsletters / media

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Build in Public Until the Right People DM You" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for Newsletters / media — pick it when your product looks like that, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Build in Public Until the Right People DM You" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 1 primary source — a real founder write-up or interview, not generic advice. It is linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original account yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is medium effort, and results tend to be slow.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via Source — IndieHackers, is in the paid library.

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