HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Seed Both Sides of the Network in Person

Seed Both Sides of the Network in Person is a product-led growth tactic for getting your first users: Cold-start a two-sided app by hand-installing it with one audience first, then recruiting the connected second audience who join specifically to reach people they already know from the first group.

It's a strong fit for Marketplaces teams, and works especially well for two-sided apps, marketplaces, social/dating. As a product-led growth play, plan for high effort and expect results to arrive at a steady pace, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Product-led growthHigh effortMedium

Why does product-led growth work for this?

People join far faster when the app already contains real connections they recognize.

The exact steps (5)

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
Marketplaces

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Seed Both Sides of the Network in Person" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for Marketplaces — pick it when your product looks like that, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Seed Both Sides of the Network in Person" 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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