HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Sell It Before You Build It

Sell It Before You Build It is a first users & traction tactic for getting your first users: Treat a credit card or a signed pre-order as the only validation that counts. Instead of asking whether someone likes your idea, you ask them to pay for it before a single feature exists.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS and Dev tools / technical teams, and works especially well for B2B SaaS, dev tools, any paid product. As a first users & traction play, plan for medium effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 6 linked primary sources.

First users & tractionMedium effortFast

Why does first users & traction work for this?

Opinions are free and people inflate them to be polite; money is the one signal that filters genuine demand from idle interest. Pre-revenue also funds the build and locks in your first reference customers.

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
Any / universalB2B SaaSDev tools / technical

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Sell It Before You Build It" 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 "Sell It Before You Build It" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 6 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 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 Build a $1M SaaS in 2026 and Start a SaaS From Scratch, is in the paid library.

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