HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Run a Live Build-in-Public Partnership

Run a Live Build-in-Public Partnership is a partnerships & affiliates tactic for getting your first users: Partner with a respected founder or ICP-aligned creator and openly document the real work you do for them, the wins, losses, and exact playbook, as an ongoing public case study.

It's a strong fit for Agencies / services, B2B SaaS, Dev tools / technical, and Newsletters / media teams, and works especially well for B2B SaaS, dev tools, agencies. As a partnerships & affiliates play, plan for high effort and expect results to build gradually over time, all grounded in 3 linked primary sources.

Partnerships & affiliatesHigh effortSlow

Why does partnerships & affiliates work for this?

A customer or peer publicly vouching for you is far more credible than self-promotion, and openly sharing a playbook most competitors guard builds outsized trust.

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
Agencies / servicesB2B SaaSDev tools / technicalNewsletters / media

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Run a Live Build-in-Public Partnership" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for Agencies / services, B2B SaaS, Dev tools / technical, 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 "Run a Live Build-in-Public Partnership" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 3 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 high 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 Best SaaS Strategies for 2026 (Sammy) and Best SaaS Strategies for 2026 (LTdWTf), is in the paid library.

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