HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Give a Sample as a Comment-Enabled Google Doc to Build a List

Give a Sample as a Comment-Enabled Google Doc to Build a List is a email & newsletters tactic for getting your first users: A thread tactic: offer a free sample chapter as a Google Doc link instead of a PDF and invite readers to leave comments and edits, capturing emails and feedback at the same time.

It's a strong fit for Info products / courses and Newsletters / media teams, and works especially well for writers and course/info-product creators. As a email & newsletters play, plan for low effort and expect results to arrive at a steady pace, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Email & newslettersLow effortMedium

Why does email & newsletters work for this?

The editable Doc invites engagement and feedback while the sample request collects warm leads to convert later.

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
Info products / coursesNewsletters / media

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Give a Sample as a Comment-Enabled Google Doc to Build a List" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for Info products / courses and Newsletters / media — 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 "Give a Sample as a Comment-Enabled Google Doc to Build a List" 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 low effort, and results tend to be medium.
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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