Write the 70/30 Value-First Comment With Admitted Flaws

Write the 70/30 Value-First Comment With Admitted Flaws is a reddit & forums tactic for getting your first users: A comment formula that spends about 70% sharing your own struggle and failed attempts, then slips your product in as a scrappy fix in the last 30%, openly downplaying its weaknesses.

It's a strong fit for teams of almost any kind, and works especially well for any. As a reddit & forums play, plan for low effort and expect results to arrive at a steady pace, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Reddit & forumsLow effortMedium

Why does reddit & forums work for this?

Admitting imperfection reads as honesty, which slips past Reddit's self-promo radar and converts better than polished copy.

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.

Unlock the steps · $29 oncePlus all 3,000+ tactics and the new ones we add weekly.

Sources

Works for
Any / universal

Frequently asked

How is the "Write the 70/30 Value-First Comment With Admitted Flaws" 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.

Related tactics

Reddit & forumsLow effort· Medium

Post Where Customers Complain, Not in Founder Subs

Stop posting in r/SaaS and r/startups (full of other founders) and instead find the subreddits where your actual customers are already complaining about the problem you solve.

Read the steps →
Reddit & forumsMedium effort· Medium

Run a 10:1 Helpful-to-Promo Ratio on Reddit

Spend the first 3-4 weeks purely building karma and giving value, then mention your tool only after roughly ten genuine contributions per soft plug, placed where it's directly relevant.

Read the steps →
Reddit & forumsMedium effort· Fast

Catch Buyers at the Moment They Ask

Drop genuinely useful replies on threads where someone is actively describing the exact problem you solve, so your product surfaces right when buying intent is highest.

Read the steps →
Reddit & forumsLow effort· Medium

Warm a New Reddit Account for a Week Before Posting

Spending about a week browsing and commenting on a fresh Reddit account so the platform doesn't throttle your launch post as bot activity.

Read the steps →
Reddit & forumsLow effort· Fast

Set Keyword Alerts to Pounce on Fresh Reddit/HN Mentions

Commenters recommend free/cheap monitors (F5bot, Syften, kwatch.io) that email you the moment your chosen keywords appear on Reddit, Hacker News, Lobsters or Slack groups, so you can show up early in the exact threads where your audience is asking.

Read the steps →
Reddit & forumsMedium effort· Medium

Lead with Genuine Help, Mention the Product Last

Reply as a real person who answers the question and shares experience first, then mention you built something relevant only if it actually fits.

Read the steps →

Get all 3,000+ tactics in one place

Filter by your product and channel, follow the exact steps, and get the new tactics we add every week. One payment, yours for good.