HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Earn Trust First, Then Make the Soft Offer

Earn Trust First, Then Make the Soft Offer is a reddit & forums tactic for getting your first users: A multi-week approach to becoming a recognized helpful member of a community before you ever sell, so that your eventual offer feels welcome rather than intrusive.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS and Dev tools / technical teams, and works especially well for services, B2B SaaS, dev tools, any. As a reddit & forums play, plan for medium effort and expect results to build gradually over time, all grounded in 2 linked primary sources.

Reddit & forumsMedium effortSlow

Why does reddit & forums work for this?

People who've already received real help from you are primed to say yes; the value comes first, so the offer reads as a natural next step instead of a pitch.

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
Any / universalB2B SaaSDev tools / technical

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Earn Trust First, Then Make the Soft Offer" 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 "Earn Trust First, Then Make the Soft Offer" 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 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 Y Combinator's Brutally Simple Playbook to Get Your First 100 Customers and The Latest Reddit Marketing Strategy for Business (+ My 3-Month Blueprint), is in the paid library.

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