HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Chase Commitment, Not Vanity Metrics

Chase Commitment, Not Vanity Metrics is a first users & traction tactic for getting your first users: Real traction is money or signed authority changing hands, not demos, free pilots, or impressive-sounding usage stats. Prove demand with paying commitments on a small scale before you go all-in.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS and Marketplaces teams, and works especially well for B2B SaaS, hardware, marketplaces. As a first users & traction play, plan for medium effort and expect results to build gradually over time, all grounded in 6 linked primary sources.

First users & tractionMedium effortSlow

Why does first users & traction work for this?

When customers commit money, investors and partners pay attention and your roadmap gets validated by reality; vanity numbers like total messages sent tell you nothing about whether anyone actually values the product.

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
B2B SaaSMarketplaces

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Chase Commitment, Not Vanity Metrics" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for B2B SaaS and Marketplaces — pick it when your product looks like one of those, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Chase Commitment, Not Vanity Metrics" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 6 primary sources — real founder write-ups and interviews, not generic advice. They are linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original accounts 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 Sell first, raise later and 600-person pilot, big deal, is in the paid library.

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