HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Tiny List, Real Homework

Tiny List, Real Homework is a cold outreach tactic for getting your first users: Instead of blasting hundreds of strangers, hand-pick a few dozen highly relevant prospects and write each one a message that proves you actually studied them.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS teams, and works especially well for early-stage B2B, founder-led sales. As a cold outreach play, plan for medium effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 4 linked primary sources.

Cold outreachMedium effortFast

Why does cold outreach work for this?

Most decision-makers say the cold emails they get aren't relevant to them, so visible, specific homework instantly separates you from the spray-and-pray pile. A handful of tailored notes routinely beats hundreds of templated ones.

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
B2B SaaS

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Tiny List, Real Homework" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for B2B SaaS — pick it when your product looks like that, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Tiny List, Real Homework" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 4 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 800+ cold emails later and Cold Email Then & Now, is in the paid library.

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