HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Run a Free Audit First, Then DM the Findings

Run a Free Audit First, Then DM the Findings is a cold outreach tactic for getting your first users: Before pitching, scan each prospect's own website and open the DM with their specific problems plus an offer to send the fix report, rather than a generic 'I built a tool' message.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS and Dev tools / technical teams, and works especially well for B2B audit, scanner, and dev tools. As a cold outreach play, plan for high effort and expect results to arrive at a steady pace, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Cold outreachHigh effortMedium

Why does cold outreach work for this?

Showing someone their real, specific problem removes the 'why should I care' barrier that kills cold outreach.

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
B2B SaaSDev tools / technical

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Run a Free Audit First, Then DM the Findings" 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 "Run a Free Audit First, Then DM the Findings" 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 high 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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