How to Get Your First 100 SaaS Customers: Step-by-Step Guide (2025)
Curious about how to acquire your first 100 customers for your startup?
We understand the struggle. After over 10 years of working with tech startups and founders, we know that getting your first 100 customers can be tough.
Seth Godin, a marketing expert, said, “Find 100 people who love what you’re doing. Don’t try to please a thousand people just a little.”
In this article, we want to help you discover how to find those 100 people who will love what you’re doing.
Are you ready to discover our best secrets to find your first 100 saas customers?
Let’s dive in.
Understanding the Foundation
Before you start using customer acquisition tactics, know that your first 100 customers will shape your startup's future. These early adopters are not just numbers. They are your partners in product development. They are your first brand ambassadors. They provide you with valuable feedback. Let's begin with the fundamental elements that will set you up for success.
Defining Your Target Customer
The success of your customer acquisition strategy hinges on your understanding of who you're trying to reach. Start by creating detailed customer personas through:
In-depth interviews with potential customers to understand their daily challenges and aspirations. These conversations should focus on their workflow, pain points, and current solutions they're using.
Market research to validate your assumptions about your target audience. This includes analyzing demographic data, behavioural patterns, and psychographic characteristics.
Competitive analysis to identify underserved segments in your market. Look for gaps in how competitors are serving customer needs and identify opportunities where you can provide unique value.
Building a Compelling Value Proposition
Your value proposition must resonate deeply with your target customers. Here's how to develop it:
- Problem-Solution Alignment Start by clearly articulating the problem you're solving. Your solution should address a specific pain point that your target customers face regularly. Document how your product or service solves this problem in a unique or superior way.
- Differentiation Strategy Identify what makes your offering unique in the market. This could be:
- Superior technology or innovative features
- Better user experience or interface
- More competitive pricing
- Faster service delivery
- Higher quality support
- Unique combination of features
Digital User Acquisition Strategies To Acquire Your First 100 Users
Content Marketing Strategy
Content marketing is the base of digital acquisition. It acts like a magnet that attracts potential customers to your business. Think of it as creating valuable resources that help solve your audience's problems before they even become customers.
Developing Your Blog Strategy
Your blog should serve as a knowledge hub that addresses your target audience's key challenges. Begin by mapping out your customers' journey, from awareness to decision-making. For example, if you sell project management software, your content can start with simple articles. You might write "What is Project Management?" Then, you can move to more specific topics like "How to Choose the Right Project Management Tool for Remote Teams."
Create a content calendar that follows this journey, ensuring you're providing value at each stage. Remember to maintain a consistent publishing schedule – quality matters more than quantity, but consistency builds trust and authority.
Mastering SEO Optimization
Search engine optimization is not just about keywords. It is also about understanding what users want. You need to create content that truly answers their questions. Start by:
- Conducting thorough keyword research focusing on long-tail phrases that indicate high intent
- Understanding search intent behind each keyword (informational, navigational, or transactional)
- Structuring content with clear headings, subheadings, and natural keyword placement
- Optimizing meta descriptions and title tags to improve click-through rates
For example, if you want to target "how to get customers for SaaS," create detailed content. This content should cover different ways to acquire customers. Include real examples and give clear steps that people can follow.
Guest Posting Strategy
Guest posting builds authority and reaches new audiences, but requires a strategic approach:
- Identify publications your target audience reads regularly
- Study their content guidelines and editorial style
- Pitch unique angles that provide value to their readers
- Include relevant case studies or data to support your points
- Create bio links that lead to specific landing pages for that audience
Creating Effective Lead Magnets
Lead magnets should provide immediate value while showcasing your expertise. Consider creating:
- Industry benchmark reports
- Templates that solve specific problems
- Step-by-step implementation guides
- Calculators or tools that help decision-making
- Checklists for complex processes
How To Use Social Media To Acquire Your First 100 Users
Social media success requires understanding platform-specific dynamics and user behavior patterns.
Platform Selection
Choose platforms based on where your target audience spends time and engages most meaningfully. For B2B SaaS, LinkedIn and Twitter might be primary channels, while e-commerce might focus on Instagram and Pinterest. Consider:
- User demographics on each platform
- Content format preferences
- Professional vs. casual engagement
- Time investment required for each platform
- Potential return on investment
Content Calendar Development
Your content calendar should balance different content types:
- Educational content (40%): Share industry insights and how-to guides
- Engagement content (30%): Ask questions, run polls, share opinions
- Promotional content (20%): Showcase products, features, and offers
- Community content (10%): Share user-generated content and success stories
Building Community Engagement
Community building requires consistent effort and genuine interaction:
- Respond promptly to comments and messages
- Create platform-specific groups or communities
- Host regular live sessions or Q&As
- Share behind-the-scenes content
- Celebrate community members' successes
How To Use Email Marketing To Acquire Your First 100 Users
Email marketing remains one of the most effective digital acquisition channels when done correctly. Below is one of the ways
Building Your Email List
Focus on quality over quantity when building your list:
- Create segment-specific landing pages
- Offer value-driven lead magnets
- Use exit-intent popups strategically
- Implement double opt-in to ensure quality
- Regular list cleaning to maintain engagement
Newsletter Optimization
Your newsletter should provide consistent value while nurturing leads toward conversion:
- Segment your audience based on:
- Interest areas
- Engagement levels
- Purchase history
- Position in customer journey
- Create content mix including:
- Industry insights
- Product updates
- Customer success stories
- Educational content
- Exclusive offers
Automation and Testing
Implement automated sequences that nurture leads:
- Welcome Series
- Day 1: Welcome and introduction
- Day 3: Key resources and getting started
- Day 7: Success stories and use cases
- Day 14: Exclusive offer or trial
- A/B Testing Framework
- Test subject lines for open rates
- Experiment with send times
- Try different content formats
- Test call-to-action placement
Analytics and Optimization
Track key metrics to continuously improve:
- Email-specific metrics:
- Open rates
- Click-through rates
- Conversion rates
- Unsubscribe rates
- Campaign-level metrics:
- Revenue per email
- List growth rate
- Engagement over time
- Customer lifetime value
Customer Acquisition: Direct, Community, and Product-Led Approaches To Acquire Your First 100 Users
Understanding Direct Customer Acquisition
Direct customer acquisition represents the most personal approach to gaining customers. Think of it as starting a conversation with potential customers who don't yet know you exist. The key to success lies in making these conversations feel natural and valuable, rather than purely transactional.
Cold Outreach: Making Warm Connections
Email outreach serves as your digital handshake. Unlike mass marketing, effective cold email requires precision and personalization. Let's examine each component:
Email Techniques That Drive Results
Your email strategy should feel like a natural conversation starter. Consider how you'd approach someone at a networking event - you wouldn't immediately launch into a sales pitch. Instead, you'd find common ground and build from there.
The Perfect Cold Email Structure:
Introduction (The Hook): "I noticed your recent article about improving customer retention in SaaS companies. Your point about focusing on user onboarding particularly resonated with me."
Why this works: You demonstrate that you've done your homework and establish relevance immediately. This shows respect for the recipient's time and creates a connection based on shared interests.
Value Proposition (The Bridge): "Many SaaS leaders like yourself have mentioned that improving onboarding is crucial but time-consuming. We've developed an approach that has helped companies reduce onboarding time by 60% while increasing user activation."
Why this works: You're connecting their stated interests with a specific solution, backed by concrete results.
Call to Action (The Ask): "Can we have a 15-minute chat this Thursday? I want to see if our method can improve your onboarding process."
Why this works: The request is specific, time-bound, and focused on their benefit rather than your product.
LinkedIn Strategy: Professional Networking at Scale
LinkedIn offers unique advantages for B2B customer acquisition because it combines professional context with social networking features. Think of it as a digital business conference that never ends.
Profile Optimization: Your LinkedIn profile should serve as a resource hub for potential customers. This means:
Headline Evolution: Instead of: "CEO at TechStartup" Write: "Helping SaaS companies reduce customer churn by 40% | Founder of CustomerSuccess.ai"
Why this works: It focuses on the value you provide rather than your title.
Content Strategy: Share insights that demonstrate your expertise:
- Industry trend analysis
- Case studies from your work
- Practical tips and actionable advice
- Behind-the-scenes looks at your problem-solving process
Engagement Approach: Build relationships before making asks:
- Comment meaningfully on prospects' posts
- Share relevant articles with personal insights
- Participate in industry discussions
- Create original content that showcases your expertise
Network Leveraging: Activating Your Existing Connections
Your network represents a valuable resource of trusted relationships. Think of it as a web of potential introductions waiting to be activated.
Alumni Network Activation
Your shared educational experience creates an instant connection. Here's how to leverage it effectively:
Database Creation: Build a structured alumni database including:
- Current roles and companies
- Industry focus
- Recent achievements
- Shared experiences or classes
Why this matters: This information allows you to personalize your outreach and identify the most relevant connections.
Outreach Strategy: "Hi Sarah, I noticed you're leading product at CloudTech now. My time in Professor Johnson's entrepreneurship class made me think about solving onboarding challenges. This is what my company focuses on now. Would you be open to catching up over coffee?"
Why this works: It combines personal connection with professional relevance.
Community-Based Growth: Building Authentic Relationships To Acquire Your First 100 Users
Community-based growth focuses on becoming a valuable member of existing communities where your potential customers gather. Think of it as joining a club where your expertise can help others succeed.
Online Communities: Becoming a Trusted Resource
Each online platform has its own culture and expectations. Success requires understanding and respecting these unique characteristics.
Reddit Strategy: Providing Value First
Reddit users are particularly sensitive to self-promotion. Your approach should focus on becoming a respected community member:
Participation Guidelines: The 80/20 Rule of Value:
- Spend 80% of your time helping others
- Limit self-promotion to 20% of your activity
- Focus on solving problems rather than selling solutions
Why this works: Building trust through consistent value creation makes any eventual promotion more effective.
Content Strategy: Create comprehensive resources:
- Detailed how-to guides
- Industry analysis posts
- Problem-solving frameworks
- Real-world case studies
Using Marketing Channels To Acquire Your First 100 Users
A well-rounded marketing strategy involves multiple channels, both paid and organic, to maximize user acquisition.
Paid Advertising
Investing in paid advertising can yield rapid results when executed correctly. Google Ads helps you capture users actively searching for solutions like yours. Social media ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok help reach specific audiences. This targeting is based on demographics and interests. Mobile advertising, including in-app ads and push notifications, is essential for mobile-first users. Retargeting campaigns bring back users who visited your site but didn’t convert, increasing overall acquisition efficiency. To get the best results from paid advertising, you need to optimize your budget. This means looking at how your campaigns perform. Then, you can move your spending to the channels that work best. This helps ensure a good return on investment (ROI).
Content Distribution
Creating great content is only half the battle—getting it in front of the right audience is just as important. Syndication networks help distribute content across high-traffic websites, bringing in new users. Partnering with other companies to cross-promote content amplifies reach. PR outreach ensures that your startup gets media coverage, which can drive significant early traction. Collaborating with influencers exposes your brand to an established audience and can generate credibility. Partnering with relevant newsletters allows you to reach engaged readers who may be interested in your product.
How To Use Sales Process Optimization To Acquire Your First 100 Users
An efficient sales process ensures that potential users move smoothly from awareness to conversion.
Sales Documentation
A compelling pitch deck is essential for presentations to investors and stakeholders. Well-crafted sales scripts help streamline outreach, while case studies showcase real-world success stories to build credibility. ROI calculators demonstrate value to prospects, and proposal templates ensure consistency in communications with leads.
Pipeline Management
Managing leads efficiently is crucial for conversions. Lead scoring helps prioritize high-intent prospects. Implementing a CRM system centralizes communication and automates follow-ups. Establishing a structured follow-up system ensures no leads slip through the cracks. Tracking conversion metrics helps identify bottlenecks in the sales process and optimize the approach for better results.
How To Lead Your 100 Users Acquisition with Data
Growth decisions should be backed by data to ensure continuous improvement.
Analytics Implementation
Tracking the right metrics is critical to understanding user behavior. Defining key performance indicators (KPIs) such as user acquisition cost (CAC), customer lifetime value (LTV), and churn rate provides insight into business health. Proper tracking setup using Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude ensures accurate data collection. Building dashboards allows for real-time monitoring of performance. Implementing A/B testing frameworks helps refine marketing efforts, and ROI measurement ensures that resources are allocated effectively.
Competitive Analysis
Regular market monitoring helps keep an eye on industry trends and shifts. Comparing product features with competitors identifies areas for differentiation. Pricing analysis ensures that your offering remains competitive without undervaluing your product. Gathering customer feedback through surveys and support interactions provides direct insights into areas for improvement. Trend tracking helps anticipate changes in consumer behavior and industry advancements, allowing for proactive strategy adjustments.
Startups can use these strategies in marketing, sales, and data-driven decisions. This will help them attract and retain their first 1,000 users.
Acquiring Your First 100 Users and How F22Labs Can Help
To get your first 100 users, you need smart marketing, direct outreach, and ongoing changes based on user feedback. Prioritizing organic channels like content marketing, social media engagement, and email marketing can provide sustainable growth. Meanwhile, leveraging paid ads and community-driven initiatives accelerates visibility and attracts early adopters.
However, before acquiring users, having a solid MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is crucial. This ensures that your product delivers core value while allowing for rapid iteration based on user feedback. F22Labs specializes in MVP development services, helping startups bring their ideas to life with well-designed, scalable solutions. Whether you are improving your idea, creating a prototype, or developing a full MVP, F22Labs offers expert help. They make sure your product is ready for the market.
By creating a strong MVP and using the right acquisition strategies, you can get your first 100 users. Then, you can grow to 1,000 users and build a foundation for long-term success.