HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Confirm the Market Exists Before You Talk to Anyone

Confirm the Market Exists Before You Talk to Anyone is a first users & traction tactic for getting your first users: A few hours of desk research to check whether real people already pay to solve this problem, used as a cheap filter before you invest time in interviews or building.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS and Dev tools / technical teams, and works especially well for B2B SaaS, micro-SaaS, dev tools. As a first users & traction play, plan for low effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 6 linked primary sources.

First users & tractionLow effortFast

Why does first users & traction work for this?

A market with paying customers and competitors is pre-validated demand; you only need a sharper angle, not proof the problem matters. Empty spaces with zero competitors usually mean zero buyers.

The exact steps (5)

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 SaaSDev tools / technical

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Confirm the Market Exists Before You Talk to Anyone" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for B2B SaaS and Dev tools / technical — 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 "Confirm the Market Exists Before You Talk to Anyone" 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 low effort, and results tend to be fast.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via SOLO Dev's Guide and Validating my Micro SaaS, is in the paid library.

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