Disclose Before They Catch You

Disclose Before They Catch You is a reddit & forums tactic for getting your first users: Open any comment or post that mentions your product with a one-line admission that you built it, before you say anything else.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS and Dev tools / technical teams, and works especially well for B2B SaaS, dev tools, any founder-led product. As a reddit & forums play, plan for low effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 2 linked primary sources.

Reddit & forumsLow effortFast

Why does reddit & forums work for this?

Redditors forgive self-promotion far more readily when it's volunteered up front; the honesty itself reads as trustworthy and disarms the "this is an ad" reflex.

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

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Disclose Before They Catch You" 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 "Disclose Before They Catch You" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 2 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 Reddit Customers 2025 Playbook and No-Ban SaaS Playbook 2026, is in the paid library.

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