Trade a Big Discount for Customer Interviews That Pre-Sell

Trade a Big Discount for Customer Interviews That Pre-Sell is a first users & traction tactic for getting your first users: Recruit your exact target customers for research interviews by dangling a large first-month discount, then use the call to learn their jobs-to-be-done and warm them toward buying.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS teams, and works especially well for B2B / service products pre-launch. As a first users & traction play, plan for low effort and expect results to arrive at a steady pace, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

First users & tractionLow effortMedium

Why does first users & traction work for this?

The same conversation gives you product insight and a primed buyer with a reason to commit now.

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

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Trade a Big Discount for Customer Interviews That Pre-Sell" 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 "Trade a Big Discount for Customer Interviews That Pre-Sell" 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 low 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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