HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Run a 3-Email Pre-Order Sequence Before You Finish Building

Run a 3-Email Pre-Order Sequence Before You Finish Building is a email & newsletters tactic for getting your first users: A timed run of three nurture emails sent to an existing list in the week before opening pre-orders, capped by a sales email that collects money while the product is still in progress.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS and Info products / courses teams, and works especially well for digital products, courses, info products, pre-launch SaaS with an email list. As a email & newsletters play, plan for medium effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Email & newslettersMedium effortFast

Why does email & newsletters work for this?

Warming subscribers with pain-point and personal-story emails first makes them ready to buy the instant you pitch, validating the idea and banking revenue before launch.

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 SaaSInfo products / courses

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Run a 3-Email Pre-Order Sequence Before You Finish Building" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for B2B SaaS and Info products / courses — 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 "Run a 3-Email Pre-Order Sequence Before You Finish Building" 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 medium 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 Source — IndieHackers, is in the paid library.

Related tactics

Email & newslettersMedium effort· Fast

Turn Content Subscribers Into Booked Demos

Treating people who downloaded an ebook or joined a webinar as warm leads, nurturing them by email while a rep qualifies and converts the best fits into demos.

Read the steps →
Email & newslettersMedium effort· Fast

Get Featured in Other People's Newsletters

Pitching established newsletters in your space to mention or feature your product, borrowing their audience instead of building your own from scratch.

Read the steps →
Email & newslettersMedium effort· Slow

Push The Value Into Their Inbox

Rather than waiting for users to log in, deliver their key results straight to them, like a tidy Monday-morning email showing their latest numbers, so the product stays useful even when they're not in it.

Read the steps →
Email & newslettersMedium effort· Slow

Earn a Spot in Niche Newsletters

Get an editorial mention in newsletters your buyers already trust by pitching the writer a reader-first angle rather than a generic product blurb.

Read the steps →
Email & newslettersMedium effort· Fast

Gate a Useful Freebie Behind the Subscribe Button

The fastest growth lever was offering a freebie — an ebook, guide, or checklist — that you only receive by subscribing, then sharing it on LinkedIn, Reddit, and Twitter. It netted 200+ subscribers in days.

Read the steps →
Email & newslettersLow effort· Fast

Send Days Beat Silent Days

Treat your list as an always-on revenue lever: the simple act of mailing on a given day reliably outperforms staying quiet, so under-mailing leaves money on the table.

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