HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Grow a Waitlist Using a Competitor's Tool

Grow a Waitlist Using a Competitor's Tool is a first users & traction tactic for getting your first users: Before your product is built, collect signups with a live competitor's product in your category so it doubles as a working demo and a feedback channel.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS teams, and works especially well for pre-launch tools and SaaS. As a first users & traction play, plan for low effort and expect results to arrive at a steady pace, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

First users & tractionLow effortMedium

Why does first users & traction work for this?

Using a competitor's live tool gives you a working capture flow plus product feedback at zero build cost.

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.

Unlock the steps · $29 oncePlus all 3,000+ tactics and the new ones we add weekly.

Sources

Works for
B2B SaaS

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Grow a Waitlist Using a Competitor's Tool" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for B2B SaaS — pick it when your product looks like that, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Grow a Waitlist Using a Competitor's Tool" 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.

Related tactics

First users & tractionLow effort· Medium

Trade a Big Discount for Customer Interviews That Pre-Sell

Recruit your exact target customers for research interviews by dangling a large first-month discount, then use the call to learn their jobs-to-be-done and warm them toward buying.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionMedium effort· Medium

Beachhead the Exact Industry You Came From

Make your first market the niche you have insider credibility in (here, contractors with high-ticket services) where you know the pain firsthand and every single lead is worth a lot.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionLow effort· Fast

Blast Niche Directory Sites Instead of Over-Prepping One PH Launch

Spend an hour submitting your app to small niche listing/directory sites where visitors arrive ready to buy, rather than sinking a full day into a single big Product Hunt debut.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionMedium effort· Slow

Ride the Spike, Survive the Grind

A realistic model for how early traction actually unfolds: a launch event gives you a short burst of attention, sales stall while prospects deliberate, interest fades, and your job is to hold a baseline until the next burst nudges the curve upward.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionHigh effort· Medium

Hand-Write a Personalized Strategy for Every Signup

For each person who signs up, you write a custom individualized plan rather than dropping them into generic onboarding, turning signups into engaged prospects and first paying customers.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionLow effort· Fast

Start With the People Who Already Know You

Before paying for ads or hiring an outreach agency, work the warm audience you already have: personal contacts, past email threads, and anyone following you anywhere. Founders should run these first conversations themselves.

Read the steps →

Get all 3,000+ tactics in one place

Filter by your product and channel, follow the exact steps, and get the new tactics we add every week. One payment, yours for good.

Unlock for $29 onceBrowse by channel