The First 100 Customers Machine

Finding the posts is half the job. This file is the other half: what to say, where, and how often, without getting your account removed or your domain flagged.

Last verified: October 2026. Community rules change. The patterns below are stable; the exact rules of each subreddit, forum or platform are whatever its pinned post says today. Read it before you post.

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Part 1: Why founders get banned (and the 7 rules that prevent it)

Reddit's sitewide rules don't ban self-promotion. They ban spam and content manipulation and ask you to post in communities you actually care about. Each subreddit's moderators decide the details. Hacker News and Product Hunt both forbid asking people to upvote. Almost every ban comes from one of these five behaviors:

1. A new account whose first posts are links to its own product.
2. The same reply pasted into ten threads.
3. A reply that doesn't answer the question, just says "check out [link]".
4. Hiding the affiliation ("I found this great tool...").
5. Asking friends to upvote, or using a second account.

The 7 rules

1. Answer first, as if you had no product. The reply must be useful even if nobody clicks anything.
2. Disclose every time. "Disclosure: I built this." One line, no apology.
3. No link unless it's allowed and asked for. "Happy to share the link if useful" works better than the link itself in most communities.
4. Recommend someone else when they fit. Nothing builds trust faster.
5. Never copy-paste. Each reply quotes or mirrors one detail from the post.
6. Keep the ratio honest. The widely cited guideline is roughly 9 helpful contributions for every 1 that mentions your own thing. Treat it as a minimum, not a target.
7. One account, your real one. No sockpuppets, no vote requests, no "comment on my post" group chats.

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Part 2: Subreddit and forum rule patterns

You will meet the same 8 rule types again and again. Learn to spot them in 30 seconds.

Pattern	What the rules say	What you do
Zero promotion	"No self-promotion", "No advertising", "No links to your own products"	Reply with pure value. No mention of your product, not even disclosed. Your profile (bio + pinned post) does the selling.
Promo thread only	"Share your startup in the weekly/monthly thread" (r/startups works this way)	Post in that thread only. Elsewhere: pure value.
Ratio rule	"9:1", "10% rule", "must be an active member"	Check your own history. Under 10 helpful comments in that sub? Don't mention the product.
Account gates	Minimum karma or account age; posts from new accounts auto-removed	Use your aged account. If you don't have one, spend 2 weeks commenting before you post.
No links	"No URLs", "links in profile only"	Name the product in plain text only if promo is allowed; otherwise say "link in my profile".
Flair required	"Use the Promotion / Feedback / Showcase flair"	Use it exactly. Wrong flair is the most common auto-removal.
Showcase day	"Self-promotion only on [day]"	Save launch posts for that day. Keep a calendar.
Feedback-only framing	"Posts must ask for feedback, not sell" (common in launch and roast communities)	Lead with a real question and what you want critiqued. No pricing pitch.

Communities built for sharing projects (still read the rules): r/SideProject, r/alphaandbetausers, r/roastmystartup, r/IMadeThis, r/microsaas. r/SaaS tolerates founder stories that mention your product; pure ads get removed. r/vibecoding's rules discourage blatant promotion of commercial services.

Forums (Shopify, Webflow, WordPress.org, Discourse communities): many have a "no vendor solicitation" rule or a vendor flair. Answer the question; put your company in your profile signature only if the forum allows signatures.

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Part 3: Value-first reply frameworks

Frame 1: The 4A reply (default)

1. Acknowledge one specific detail.
2. Answer fully: steps, free option, trade-off.
3. Aside (disclosed, only if allowed): "Disclosure: I'm building [X] for this, happy to share."
4. Ask one short question.

Frame 2: The honest comparison (for "X vs Y?" and "best tool for")

"I've used [A] and [B]. [A] is better if [condition]. [B] is better if [condition]. If you need [narrow thing], I built [mine] for that specific case (disclosure). If not, go with [A]."

Frame 3: The playbook answer (for "how do you handle")

Numbered steps they can do today with no tool. End with: "I automated step [N] for myself; ask if you want the setup." No product name unless allowed.

Frame 4: The question back (for vague posts)

"Depends on [factor]. Are you [option 1] or [option 2]? If [1], do this... If [2], do that..." You get a reply, which earns the right to a DM.

Frame 5: The "I had this exact problem" story (for venting posts)

Two lines of your story, the one thing that fixed it, and an offer: "Happy to share the template." Works for building in public.

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Part 4: 10 example replies

Products are examples. Swap your own details in. Each reply is 40 to 140 words.

1. Switching, Reddit (invoicing tool for freelancers)

Post: "FreshBooks just raised prices again. Any cheaper alternative for a solo designer? I only need invoices and reminders."

If invoices and reminders are all you need, you're paying for a lot of accounting you don't use. Two to look at: Zoho Invoice (free plan with limits) and Wave (free plan for invoicing; automatic payment reminders are on its paid plan). Check that whichever you pick lets you schedule reminders before the due date, not only after. That alone fixes most late payments. Disclosure: I'm building a small tool that only does the reminder sequence and plugs into what you already use. Happy to share if useful, but try the free ones first. Roughly how many invoices a month do you send?

2. Competitor complaint, X (scheduling tool)

Post: "@[competitor] third time this month my booking page double-booked me. I'm done."

Double-booking usually comes from a calendar that isn't connected for conflict checks (common with a second Google account or a shared calendar). Worth checking that every calendar you use is set to "check for conflicts" in the settings before you switch. If you do switch, export your event types first. I'm building a lighter booking tool and this exact bug is why. Glad to help you move if you go that way.

3. Willingness to pay, Reddit (analytics for Shopify stores)

Post: "I'd honestly pay for something that just tells me which products are losing money after ads and shipping."

You can get 80% of this in a spreadsheet: export orders, add columns for COGS, shipping, payment fees and ad spend per SKU (split ad spend by revenue share if your ads aren't per product), then sort by contribution margin. Do it monthly. The painful part is keeping ad spend per SKU up to date. Disclosure: that's exactly what I'm building; it's in free beta and I'd love to have you test it if you want. What ad platforms are you on?

4. Looking for a tool, LinkedIn (client-onboarding tool for agencies)

Post: "Looking for a tool to collect client logins, brand assets and briefs before kickoff. Email threads are killing us."

We had the same problem. What fixed it first was a single intake form (Typeform/Tally) with a file upload, plus a password manager share for logins, never email. That gets you 70% of the way for almost no cost. Where it breaks is chasing the clients who don't finish. I built [PRODUCT] for that piece (disclosure). Happy to show you how both setups look. How many clients do you onboard a month?

5. "Is there an app", Reddit (habit tracker for ADHD)

Post: "Is there an app that reminds me to do something only when I'm actually at my desk? Time-based reminders don't work for me."

What you want is a location- or context-based reminder. Free first: iOS Reminders supports location-based reminders, and you can use Shortcuts automations (iPhone) or an automation app (Android) to fire a reminder when you join your work Wi-Fi. Disclosure: I'm making an app around context triggers for ADHD brains, but try the built-in options first; they might be enough. What phone are you on?

6. Recommendation request, Hacker News (log monitoring)

Post: "Ask HN: What do you use for logs on a tiny side project? Datadog is overkill."

For one or two small servers: journald plus a cron job that greps for errors and emails you gets surprisingly far. Next step up is a self-hosted stack or any hosted tier with a free plan. Pick based on whether you want to own the box. I'm the author of [PRODUCT], a single binary that tails logs and alerts on new error signatures. It's for exactly this size of project, but the cron approach is free and fine until you have users.

7. Workflow pain, Reddit (podcast editing service, freelancer)

Post: "How do you all handle editing? I spend 6 hours per episode and I'm about to quit the show."

Six hours is a lot, and it's usually spent on two things: removing filler words and leveling audio. Three ways to cut it: record each person on their own track (fixes most problems before editing), use your editor's automatic leveling, and cut only obvious mistakes, not every "um". Listeners care less than you think. If you ever want it off your plate entirely, I edit shows for a living (disclosure), but try those three first. What do you record with?

8. Venting, Indie Hackers (founder story)

Post: "Almost gave up on my side project. 4 months, 3 users, and two of them are my friends."

Been there. What changed it for me wasn't a new feature, it was going looking for people who were already describing my problem in public. I searched Reddit and HN for phrases like "is there an app" and "alternative to [competitor]" in my niche and answered every thread I could genuinely help with. 20 helpful replies got me 9 conversations and 3 real users in two weeks. Slow, but real. What does your product do? Happy to suggest a few searches.

9. Recommendation, LinkedIn (freelancer for Webflow)

Post: "Any recommendations for a Webflow developer who can migrate us from WordPress? ~40 pages, blog included."

For a 40-page migration with a blog, ask whoever you hire about three things: how they move the blog (CSV import into a CMS collection vs manual), how they handle 301 redirects for every old URL, and who owns the Webflow site after handoff. Those are where migrations go wrong. I do this kind of migration (disclosure: freelance), happy to send a scope estimate, and glad to point you to others if timing doesn't work.

10. "If AI can rebuild your SaaS, what's your moat?", Reddit (answer that builds authority)

Post: "If AI can rebuild your SaaS in a weekend, what's your moat?"

The code was never the moat; it's just faster to see that now. What's hard to copy in a weekend: knowing exactly who has the problem, where they talk about it, and having answered them first. Distribution, trust and the data you collect from real users. A practical version: keep a list of every public post where someone asked for what you do, and be the helpful reply in each one. Nobody can clone that list from your landing page.

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Part 5: 5 DM scripts

Rules: no link in the first message, reference their post, give something before you ask. Keep it short enough to read on a phone.

DM 1: Reddit, after they replied to your comment

Hey [name], thanks for answering in the [r/SUB] thread. One more thing that might help with [problem]: [extra tip, one line]. I'm the one building [PRODUCT] (mentioned it there). Want me to send the link, or would a 2-minute screen recording of it on your use case be more useful?

DM 2: X, to someone who asked for recommendations

Saw your post about [problem]. Quick tip whatever you choose: [tip]. I built [PRODUCT] for exactly this (for [audience]). Not sure it fits you, so: what are you using now? If it's close, I'll send a link.

DM 3: LinkedIn connection note (keep under 200 characters; free accounts get a short note and a small monthly allowance of personalized notes)

Hi [name], read your post on [problem]. I work on the same problem for [audience]. Would be glad to connect and share what's worked for others.

DM 4: LinkedIn, after they accept

Thanks for connecting, [name]. On your post about [problem]: the thing I see work most for [audience] is [specific tactic]. I built [PRODUCT] to automate that part. Open to a 10-minute look? If not, no worries, happy to just swap notes.

DM 5: Freelancer/agency, after a "looking to hire" post

Hi [name], saw you're looking for someone to [task]. I've done [number/type] of these, most recently [one-line proof]. Two questions so I don't waste your time: what's the deadline, and is [key scope question]? If it fits, I'll send a fixed quote today.

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Part 6: 5 cold email scripts

Use these for people you found in public with a clear, public, work-related need (a LinkedIn post, a company blog, a public "we're looking for"). Small volume, written by hand, sent from your real name.

Rules that keep you legal and in the inbox (information, not legal advice; check your local rules):

• US CAN-SPAM (FTC): no misleading "From" or subject lines, include a valid physical postal address, include a clear way to opt out, honor opt-outs within 10 business days.
• EU/UK and several other countries have stricter consent rules for electronic marketing (GDPR and ePrivacy rules). B2B cold email may be restricted or require a legitimate-interest assessment. Check before you send there.
• Gmail and Yahoo require bulk senders (around 5,000+ messages a day to their users) to authenticate with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, offer one-click unsubscribe, and keep spam complaints under 0.3%. You won't be a bulk sender, but set up SPF/DKIM/DMARC anyway and send slowly (start under 20 a day).

Email 1: Problem-first (they posted about the pain)

Subject: your post on [problem]

Hi [name],

Read your post about [specific detail] on [platform]. That's the same thing I kept hearing from [audience], so I built a small tool for it.

What it does: [one sentence outcome]. What it doesn't: [honest limit].

Would it be useful if I set it up on [their specific case] and sent you a 2-minute video of the result? No call needed.

[Your name] [Product] | [Physical address] | Reply "no thanks" and I won't email again.

Email 2: Switching (they complained about a competitor)

Subject: [competitor] question

Hi [name],

Saw your note that [competitor] [specific complaint]. Fair complaint; it's built for bigger teams.

I make [product], which only does [narrow job] for [audience]. It's [price]. If you want, I'll import your [data] so trying it costs you 10 minutes.

Worth a look?

[Name] | [Address] | Not relevant? Reply "stop".

Email 3: Trigger event (they just launched, hired, raised, or posted a job)

Subject: congrats on [trigger]

Hi [name],

Congrats on [trigger]. Usually when [audience] [trigger], [problem] shows up within a month (it did for [example or "most teams I talk to"]).

I have a one-page checklist for handling it. Want it? It's free, no strings. If it's useful, I'll mention the tool I built afterwards.

[Name] | [Address] | Reply "no" to opt out.

Email 4: Freelancer/agency offer (they posted a need)

Subject: [task] for [company]

Hi [name],

You mentioned you need [task]. I've done this for [2-3 similar clients or "similar projects"], for example [one-line result].

Fixed price: [range] for [scope], done in [timeframe]. I can send a 3-point plan for your case before you decide anything.

Want the plan?

[Name] | [Portfolio link] | [Address] | Reply "stop" to opt out.

Email 5: Founder-to-founder feedback ask (highest reply rate, lowest pressure)

Subject: 2 questions about [problem]

Hi [name],

I'm building [product] for [audience] and you're clearly someone who's dealt with [problem] (your post on [platform]).

Two questions, reply in one line each if you have time:

1. How are you handling [problem] today?
2. What's the most annoying part of that?

Not selling anything in this email. Thanks either way.

[Name] | [Address] | Reply "stop" and I won't follow up.

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Part 7: Follow-ups

Public replies

• Check back after 24 hours. Answer every reply to your comment within a day.
• If the original poster replied "interested" or asked for the link: send it (in the thread if links are allowed, in a DM if not).
• Never bump your own comment or reply to yourself.

DMs

• One follow-up maximum, 3 to 5 days later, and only if it adds something:

  Hey [name], one more idea on [problem]: [new tip]. No need to reply if you sorted it.

• No reply after that = done. Mark the lead "Lost" in the tracker.

Cold email (max 2 follow-ups)

• Follow-up 1 (+3 business days, same thread):

  Hi [name], bumping this in case it got buried. Short version: [one-sentence outcome]. Worth a 2-minute video?

• Follow-up 2 (+7 business days, same thread, the "close the loop"):

  Hi [name], I'll stop here so I don't clutter your inbox. If [problem] becomes a priority later, reply anytime and I'll set it up for you. Thanks.

• Any "no", "stop" or unsubscribe = remove them immediately and never contact again.

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Part 8: When they answer: the 5 most common objections

They say	You say
"How is this different from [competitor]?"	"[Competitor] is better for [their strength]. Mine only does [narrow job] for [audience], so it's [faster/cheaper/simpler] for that. If you need [their strength], stay with them."
"Too expensive."	"Fair. What are you paying in time or money for this now? If it's less than [price], it's not worth it for you yet."
"Not now."	"Totally fine. Want me to check back in [month], or should I drop it?"
"Is it safe?" (data, logins)	Plain facts: what you store, where, who can see it, how to delete it. No vague "bank-level security".
"Send me more info."	Don't send a deck. Send a 2-minute video of the product doing their exact case.

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Part 9: Account hygiene checklist (5 minutes, once)

• One real account per platform, with your face or logo and a clear bio: "Building [PRODUCT] for [AUDIENCE]".
• A pinned post or profile link that explains what you build. This is where interested people go after a helpful reply.
• Reddit: account older than a few weeks with some comment history in your target subs before you mention anything you made.
• Email: domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up; a real signature with your address; an opt-out line.
• A notes file of each community's rules (promo thread day, flair names, link policy). Update when you get a mod message.
• A rule for yourself: if a moderator removes a post, read why, apologize if needed, and never repost the same thing.

Copy a template, swap the slots, paste it into a surface from search-cheatsheet.md.

Slots

• [PRODUCT] the category word people use: "invoicing app", "CRM", "habit tracker", "landing page builder"
• [COMPETITOR] a tool they use today: "Notion", "Calendly", "HubSpot"
• [PROBLEM] the pain in their words: "clients paying late", "too many tabs", "no-shows"
• [TASK] the job: "send invoices", "schedule posts", "track expenses"
• [AUDIENCE] who: "freelancers", "Shopify stores", "therapists", "small agencies"

How to read the table

• Intent: 5 = ready to buy or switch, 1 = just aware of the problem.
• Best on: R = Reddit, G = Google site:reddit.com and forums, HN = Hacker News, X, LI = LinkedIn, Rev = G2/Capterra reviews.
• Quotes matter. Keep the intent phrase in quotes and leave the product words outside so you don't miss posts with different wording.

Last verified (operators and surfaces): October 2026.

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1. Switching: "alternative to [COMPETITOR]" (12)

They already pay for the category. Highest intent on the list.

#	Template	Intent	Best on
1	"alternative to [COMPETITOR]"	5	R, G, X
2	"alternatives to [COMPETITOR]" [AUDIENCE]	5	R, G
3	"switching from [COMPETITOR]"	5	R, X, LI
4	"moving away from [COMPETITOR]"	5	R, HN, LI
5	"replacement for [COMPETITOR]"	5	R, HN
6	"[COMPETITOR] alternative" cheaper	5	R, G
7	"leaving [COMPETITOR]"	4	X, R
8	"[COMPETITOR] vs"	4	R, G
9	"anything better than [COMPETITOR]"	5	R, X
10	"similar to [COMPETITOR] but"	5	R, HN
11	"[COMPETITOR] but for [AUDIENCE]"	4	R, X
12	"open source [COMPETITOR]" OR "self-hosted [COMPETITOR]"	4	HN, R

2. Competitor complaints (12)

Pain plus an existing budget. Best place to learn positioning.

#	Template	Intent	Best on
13	"[COMPETITOR]" "too expensive"	5	R, X, Rev
14	"[COMPETITOR]" "price increase"	5	R, X
15	"cancelled [COMPETITOR]" OR "canceled [COMPETITOR]"	5	R, X
16	"[COMPETITOR]" "customer support" (terrible OR awful OR "no response")	4	R, X, Rev
17	"[COMPETITOR]" "keeps crashing" OR "so slow"	4	R, X
18	"hate [COMPETITOR]"	4	X, R
19	"[COMPETITOR]" "missing feature"	4	R, Rev
20	"[COMPETITOR]" "doesn't support"	4	R, HN
21	"[COMPETITOR]" "overkill" [AUDIENCE]	4	R
22	"[COMPETITOR]" "too complicated"	4	R, Rev
23	to:[COMPETITOR_HANDLE] (cancel OR refund OR broken OR "still waiting")	5	X
24	"[COMPETITOR]" "is down" OR "outage"	3	X

3. Willingness to pay: "I'd pay for" (10)

The rarest and most valuable phrases. Save every hit, even old ones; they are validation.

#	Template	Intent	Best on
25	"I'd pay for" [PRODUCT]	5	R, X, HN
26	"I would pay for a tool that"	5	R, HN
27	"take my money" [TASK]	5	R, X
28	"happy to pay" [PRODUCT]	5	R, HN
29	"willing to pay" [TASK]	5	R, G
30	"shut up and take my money" [PRODUCT]	4	R, X
31	"someone please build" [TASK]	4	X, R
32	"why isn't there an app" [TASK]	4	R, X
33	"would pay good money" [PROBLEM]	5	R
34	"budget for" [PRODUCT] [AUDIENCE]	4	R, LI

4. Looking for a tool (12)

Active search, right now.

#	Template	Intent	Best on
35	"looking for a tool" [TASK]	5	R, HN, LI
36	"looking for an app" [TASK]	5	R
37	"looking for software" [AUDIENCE]	5	R, LI
38	"need a tool" [TASK]	5	R, X
39	"need an app" [PROBLEM]	5	R
40	"searching for a" [PRODUCT]	4	R, G
41	"any tool that" [TASK]	5	R, X
42	"any software for" [TASK]	5	R, G
43	"tool to automate" [TASK]	5	R, X, LI
44	"looking for a simple" [PRODUCT]	5	R
45	"free or cheap" [PRODUCT]	3	R
46	"[PRODUCT] for [AUDIENCE]" ?	4	X (the bare ? favors questions)

5. "Is there an app" (10)

Problem aware, solution unaware. Your reply educates and earns trust.

#	Template	Intent	Best on
47	"is there an app" [TASK]	4	R, X
48	"is there a tool" [TASK]	4	R, HN
49	"is there a way to automatically" [TASK]	4	R, G
50	"is there a service that" [TASK]	4	R
51	"does anyone know a tool" [TASK]	4	R, LI
52	"does something like this exist" [PROBLEM]	4	R, HN
53	"does anything exist" [TASK]	4	R, X
54	"is there anything that" [TASK]	4	R
55	"Ask HN" [PROBLEM] (use HN tags=ask_hn)	4	HN
56	"is there a Chrome extension" [TASK]	4	R, X

6. Recommendation requests (10)

Comparing options now. Being helpful and fair wins here.

#	Template	Intent	Best on
57	"what do you use for" [TASK]	4	R, X, LI
58	"what's the best" [PRODUCT] [AUDIENCE]	4	R, G
59	"best [PRODUCT] for [AUDIENCE]"	4	R, G
60	"recommend a" [PRODUCT]	4	R
61	"any recommendations" [PRODUCT]	4	R, LI
62	"what tools do you use" [AUDIENCE]	3	R, X
63	"tech stack" [AUDIENCE] [TASK]	3	R, HN
64	"which [PRODUCT] should I"	4	R
65	"[COMPETITOR] or" [COMPETITOR_2]	4	R, G
66	"recommendations" [PROBLEM] [AUDIENCE]	4	LI, R

7. Workflow pain: "how do you handle" (12)

Not searching yet. Best for customer interviews and content ideas. Reply generously, rarely pitch.

#	Template	Intent	Best on
67	"how do you handle" [PROBLEM]	3	R, LI
68	"how do you deal with" [PROBLEM]	3	R
69	"how do you manage" [TASK]	3	R, LI
70	"how do you keep track of" [TASK]	3	R
71	"I hate" [TASK]	3	X, R
72	"sick of" [PROBLEM]	3	X, R
73	"spend hours" [TASK]	3	R, LI
74	"spreadsheet" [TASK] "nightmare"	3	R
75	"waste so much time" [TASK]	3	R, X
76	"manually" [TASK] "every week"	3	R, LI
77	"am I the only one" [PROBLEM]	2	R
78	"there has to be a better way" [TASK]	4	R, X

8. Hiring / done-for-you (12)

For freelancers and agencies, or to test a productized service before building software.

#	Template	Intent	Best on
79	"looking to hire" [TASK]	5	R, X, LI
80	"need someone to" [TASK]	5	R, X
81	"looking for a freelancer" [TASK]	5	R, LI
82	"looking for a developer" [AUDIENCE]	5	R, LI
83	"who can build" [PRODUCT]	5	X, R
84	"[Hiring]" [TASK] (subreddits that use [Hiring] tags)	5	R
85	"recommend an agency" [TASK]	5	R, LI
86	"paying someone to" [TASK]	4	R
87	"outsource" [TASK] [AUDIENCE]	4	R, LI
88	"Who is hiring" [TASK] (HN monthly thread, posted by whoishiring)	4	HN
89	"need help with" [TASK] "budget"	5	R
90	"#hiring" [TASK] freelance	4	LI, X

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Five ways to make a template better

1. Swap the vocabulary. Run the same template with the category word, then with the pain word: "looking for a tool" invoicing and "looking for a tool" "clients not paying".
2. Add recency. Reddit &t=week, Google after:YYYY-MM-DD, X since:YYYY-MM-DD, HN dateRange=pastWeek, LinkedIn Date posted: Past week.
3. Remove noise. Add -hiring -job on LinkedIn for tools, -filter:links on X to drop promo posts, NOT on Reddit for unrelated meanings.
4. Scope to a community. Reddit subreddit:[SUB] or the /r/[SUB]/search URL; Google site:reddit.com/r/[SUB].
5. Retire dead queries. If a query returns nothing useful twice in a row, replace it. Keep a log in the tracker's Notes.

A starter set (if you only run 10)

#1, #3, #13, #15, #25, #35, #47, #57, #67, #78. They cover every intent level and work on almost every surface.

One page per surface: the syntax that works, a link you can edit, and what each surface is best for. Last verified: October 2026. Platforms change search behavior without notice. If an operator stops working, drop it and use the site's filter menus.

URL-encoding in 10 seconds: space = %20, " = %22, : = %3A, > = %3E, ( = %28, ) = %29. Or paste the query in the site's search bar and skip encoding.

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Reddit (native search)

Operators (no space after the colon; field names are lowercase):

Operator	Does	Example
title:	match in post title	title:"alternative to notion"
selftext:	match in post body	selftext:"looking for a tool"
subreddit:	one community	subreddit:freelance
author:	one user	author:spez
self:yes	text posts only (no links, no images)	self:yes "is there an app"
AND OR NOT ( )	boolean, must be uppercase	(invoice OR invoicing) NOT template

Links

• Sitewide, newest, past month: https://www.reddit.com/search/?q=QUERY&sort=new&t=month
• One subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/SUB/search/?q=QUERY&restrict_sr=1&sort=new&t=month
• Time values: hour, day, week, month, year, all.

Tips

• Check the Comments tab too. Many "what do you use for X?" answers and requests are in comments.
• Reddit's own search misses things. Run your top 5 queries through Google too (next section).
• Before replying in any subreddit: read the sidebar rules and the pinned posts. Look for "no self-promotion", "no links", karma or account-age minimums, and weekly promo threads.

---

Google (Reddit, forums, Indie Hackers, anything indexed)

Operator	Works in 2026	Example
site:	yes, most reliable	site:reddit.com "alternative to calendly"
"exact phrase"	yes	"is there an app"
OR (uppercase)	yes	(expensive OR "price increase")
-word	yes	-jobs
intitle:	yes	intitle:"looking for"
inurl:	yes	inurl:forum
before: / after:	yes	after:2026-09-01
cache:, related:	removed	do not use

Copy-paste shapes

• site:reddit.com "alternative to [COMPETITOR]" after:2026-07-01
• site:reddit.com/r/[SUB] "looking for a tool" [TASK]
• site:reddit.com intitle:"[COMPETITOR]" (expensive OR alternative OR cancel)
• site:indiehackers.com "[PROBLEM]"
• site:news.ycombinator.com "Ask HN" [PROBLEM]
• inurl:forum OR inurl:community "is there a way to" [TASK]
• site:community.shopify.com "[PROBLEM]" (swap for your niche's forum)

Recency: Tools > Any time > Past week / Past month, or the after: operator.

---

Hacker News (Algolia search, free, no login)

• Web: https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=pastMonth&page=0&prefix=false&query=QUERY&sort=byDate&type=all
  • dateRange: last24h, pastWeek, pastMonth, pastYear, all
  • type: all, story, comment
• API (JSON, for your own scripts): https://hn.algolia.com/api/v1/search_by_date?query=QUERY&tags=(story,comment)
  • tags=ask_hn only Ask HN, tags=show_hn only Show HN, tags=author_USERNAME one user
  • numericFilters=created_at_i%3E1788000000 newer than a Unix timestamp; points%3E10 popular only
• Quotes work for exact phrases. Boolean OR does not; run separate queries instead.
• Freelancers: the first weekday of each month the account whoishiring posts "Ask HN: Who is hiring?" and "Ask HN: Who wants to be hired?". Verified: October 2026 threads are live.

Best for: dev tools, APIs, infra, privacy, self-hosted, technical B2B. Weak for consumer apps.

---

X (logged in, Latest tab)

Link: https://x.com/search?q=QUERY&f=live (the f=live part opens the Latest tab).

Operator	Does
"exact phrase", OR, -word	basics
lang:en	language
since:2026-09-01 until:2026-10-01	date range
min_faves:5 min_replies:2 min_retweets:2	engagement floor
-filter:replies / filter:replies	exclude / only replies
-filter:links	drop posts with links (removes most promo)
-filter:retweets	drop reposts
to:handle	posts sent to an account (complaints to a competitor)
?	a bare question mark favors questions

Copy-paste shapes

• "alternative to [COMPETITOR]" lang:en -filter:links
• to:[COMPETITOR_HANDLE] (cancel OR refund OR broken) -filter:links
• "is there an app" [TASK] ? lang:en min_faves:2
• "I'd pay for" [PRODUCT] lang:en

Warning: X operator behavior drifts and search depth differs by account. Test each query once and keep what returns results.

---

LinkedIn (posts)

• Search bar > Posts > Date posted: Past week > optional Author industry/Author company filters.
• Supports "quotes", AND, OR, NOT (uppercase) and parentheses. Keep it short; long boolean strings fail silently.
• Link form (falls back to the UI if it doesn't load): https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/content/?keywords=QUERY&sortBy=%22date_posted%22
• Shapes: "looking for a tool" AND [TASK], "any recommendations" AND [PRODUCT], "looking to hire" AND [TASK] NOT recruiter

Best for: B2B, agencies, consultants, ops, finance, HR, recruiting tools. People post with their real name and job title, so fit is easy to judge.

---

G2 and Capterra (competitor pain)

• Open the competitor's reviews, filter to 1 to 3 stars, read 20. Write down repeated complaints, word for word.
• Open the "alternatives" or "competitors" page for the competitor. Note which products sit next to it and how they are described.
• Typical paths: g2.com/products/<slug>/reviews, g2.com/products/<slug>/competitors/alternatives. Capterra product pages have an "Alternatives" tab. If a path changes, search the site for the competitor.
• Use this for positioning and query ideas, not to contact individual reviewers.
• Context: G2 acquired Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice in early 2026; the sites still run separately. Both offer a free vendor profile (more in launch/launch-directories.md).

---

Niche forums and communities

• Find them: [AUDIENCE] forum, [AUDIENCE] community, [TOOL] community forum, [AUDIENCE] discord, [AUDIENCE] slack group.
• Common ones: Shopify Community, Webflow Forum, WordPress.org support forums, Notion and Obsidian forums, Stack Exchange sites, Discourse-based product forums, Indie Hackers, Dev.to.
• Rules first. Many forums ban vendors or require a "vendor" flair. When in doubt, ask a moderator.

---

Put it on autopilot (alerts)

Tool	Covers	Cost	Notes
F5Bot	Reddit, Hacker News, Lobsters	Free (paid plans exist)	Email alerts. Use quoted phrases, not single words.
Syften	Reddit, HN, X, Bluesky, Mastodon, Indie Hackers, Stack Overflow, GitHub, Dev.to, more	Paid, 14-day free trial	Filters and integrations.
Google Alerts	Indexed web	Free	Slow, noisy; useful for forum phrases.
GummySearch	—	Closed Nov 30, 2025	Shut down citing Reddit's API policy.

Rule of thumb: alerts find posts, they don't reply. Replies stay human (see playbook/).

Two prompts. Use Prompt 1 once per product. Use Prompt 2 every day with the posts you found. Fill the [BRACKETS]. Delete nothing else.

---

Prompt 1: Build my hunt plan

You are Demand Hunter. Your job: help me find people who are ALREADY asking for what I sell, so I can get my first 100 customers. You never post for me. You give me queries, links and drafts.

MY PRODUCT
- What it does (one sentence): [e.g., Sends polite automatic reminders for unpaid invoices]
- Who it's for: [e.g., freelancers and small agencies]
- Price: [e.g., $12/month, free beta]
- Competitors or workarounds people use today: [e.g., FreshBooks, Wave, chasing by hand]  (if blank, propose 3 and mark them as guesses)
- Platforms I have accounts on: [e.g., Reddit (2-year-old account), X, LinkedIn]

DO THIS, IN ORDER:

1) DEMAND PROFILE
- Job to be done, in the customer's words.
- 10 pain phrases real people would type (plain, emotional, specific).
- 6 solution phrases (how they'd describe the tool they want).
- 8 places they hang out (subreddits, forums, communities, LinkedIn job titles). Mark each "known" or "guess - verify it exists and read its rules".
- Disqualifiers (words that signal the wrong buyer).

2) 24-40 INTENT QUERIES, at least 3 per type, strongest intent first:
  1. Switching ("alternative to [COMPETITOR]", "switching from")
  2. Competitor complaints ("[COMPETITOR] too expensive", "cancelled [COMPETITOR]")
  3. Willingness to pay ("I'd pay for", "take my money")
  4. Looking for a tool ("looking for a tool that", "need an app to")
  5. Is there an app ("is there an app that", "is there a way to automatically")
  6. Recommendation requests ("what do you use for", "best X for Y")
  7. Workflow pain ("how do you handle", "I hate doing")
  8. Hiring / done-for-you ("looking to hire someone to", "need a freelancer for")
Rules: quote the intent phrase, keep product words loose, make a category-word version and a pain-word version of the best ones.

3) LINKS. For each query, give clickable URLs (URL-encode spaces as %20 and quotes as %22) for the surfaces that fit:
- Reddit sitewide: https://www.reddit.com/search/?q=QUERY&sort=new&t=month
- Reddit in a subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/SUB/search/?q=QUERY&restrict_sr=1&sort=new&t=month
- Google: site:reddit.com "PHRASE" WORDS after:YYYY-MM-DD   (also site:indiehackers.com and niche forums)
- Hacker News: https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=pastMonth&page=0&prefix=false&query=QUERY&sort=byDate&type=all
- X (logged in, Latest tab): https://x.com/search?q=QUERY&f=live  with operators like lang:en, since:YYYY-MM-DD, min_faves:3, -filter:links, -filter:retweets, to:COMPETITOR_HANDLE, and a bare ? for questions
- LinkedIn posts: search bar > Posts > Date posted: Past week (quotes, AND, OR, NOT)
- Competitor reviews: G2 and Capterra 1-3 star reviews and their "alternatives" pages. Use them for wording, not to track down individual reviewers.
Output a table: Intent type | Query | Reddit | Google | HN | X | LinkedIn.

4) A 30-MINUTE DAILY ROUTINE using the top 10 links.

---

SCORING RUBRIC (use it when I paste posts later):
Pain 0-3 (none / mentioned / clear and recurring / costing money or clients now)
Seeking 0-3 (venting / open / asking for options / asking for a tool like mine or willing to pay)
Fit 0-3 (wrong buyer / partial / good / exact and can pay)
Fresh 0-3 (>6 months / 1-6 months / 8-30 days / 0-7 days)
Score = total x 10 / 12, rounded. Hot 9-10, Warm 6-8, Cool 3-5, Skip 0-2.
Rule risk Low/Med/High (High if the community bans promotion or links, or my account is new). If you don't know the rules, say so.

REPLY RULES (4A frame): Acknowledge one specific detail, Answer fully as if I had no product, Aside with disclosure only if allowed ("Disclosure: I'm building X for this, happy to share if useful", no link unless they asked for tools and links are allowed), Ask one short question. 40-140 words. No hype words, no emojis, no exclamation marks. Recommend a non-mine option when one honestly fits. Never pretend to be a customer.
DM RULES: only if they asked for recommendations/DMs, replied to me, or the platform norm is DMs. Under 500 characters: context, one extra tip, permission ask. No link in the first DM.
LEGAL: remind me that cold email needs an honest subject, my real identity, a physical address and an opt-out under US CAN-SPAM, and that EU and other countries are stricter (check local rules).

---

Prompt 2: Score these posts and draft replies

Use the Demand Hunter rubric and reply rules from earlier in this chat.
My product: [one sentence]. Price: [price]. My account on this platform: [age, karma if Reddit].

Here are the posts I found (platform, age, text or summary):
1. [platform] [age] [paste post]
2. ...

For each post, output:
POST: first 12 words (platform, age)
SCORE: X/10 = Pain a + Seeking b + Fit c + Fresh d -> Hot/Warm/Cool/Skip
RULE RISK: Low/Med/High because ...
WHY: one sentence
PUBLIC REPLY: (4A frame, 40-140 words, references one detail from the post)
DM: only if Hot and allowed, else "not yet" and why
NEXT STEP: one line
Sort by score, highest first. If a post is a bad fit, say Skip and don't write a reply.

---

Prompt 3 (optional): Turn a reply into a follow-up

3 days ago I replied to this post: [paste post + my reply]. They answered: [paste their answer] / They didn't answer.
Write the next message. If they answered: continue the conversation, ask one Mom Test question about their past behavior (not "would you use it?"), and offer the link only if they show interest. If they didn't answer: write nothing public; tell me whether one short follow-up is appropriate on this platform, and draft it (under 280 characters) only if yes.

A daily plan for going from zero users to 100, by hand, in about 60 to 90 minutes a day.

What "customer" means here. Pick one definition on Day 1 and don't change it:

• Paid product: 100 = 100 people who used the core feature at least once. Your paying target is a separate number (see below).
• Freelancer/agency: 100 = 100 qualified conversations. Your client target is 3 to 10.

Honest expectations. 100 paying customers in 30 days from zero is rare. 100 real users, 10 to 30 paying, and a clear picture of who buys is a strong month. All numbers below are planning targets, not promises. Your conversion rates will be different; the tracker measures them so you can adjust by Day 10.

---

The daily quota: 20 / 10 / 5

Every working day:

• 20 posts found and logged (tracker, status "Found")
• 10 helpful public replies (status "Replied")
• 5 DMs or cold emails, only to Hot leads or people who replied (status "DM sent")

Plus: answer every reply you got within 24 hours.

Over 30 days (about 22 working days) that's roughly 440 posts logged, 220 replies, 110 direct messages. The plan assumes, for planning only:

• 10 to 20% of replies or messages turn into a conversation → about 35 to 65 conversations
• 30 to 50% of conversations try the product → about 15 to 30 users from hunting
• Launch week, communities and word of mouth add the rest

If your numbers are far below this by Day 10, use the "zero replies" section at the bottom.

---

Week 1 (Days 1–7): Set up the machine and get 10 conversations

Day	Actions (in order)	Numbers to hit
1	Run Demand Hunter (skills/demand-hunter) on your product. Save the Demand Profile and 30 queries. Open tools/lead-tracker.html, set your goal to 100. Set up 5 to 10 F5Bot alerts with your best phrases.	30 queries, 10 alerts
2	Run the landing page checklist (plan/landing-page-checklist.md). Fix the top 5 failures. Write your profile bio on every platform: "Building [PRODUCT] for [AUDIENCE]".	Landing page score ≥ 18/25
3	First full daily loop: 20 found, 10 replies. No DMs yet; learn the communities. Write each community's rules into the tracker notes.	20 / 10 / 0
4	Daily loop. First 5 DMs to Hot leads. Book your first customer interview.	20 / 10 / 5
5	Daily loop. Run 1 interview with the Mom Test script (plan/customer-interview-script.md).	20 / 10 / 5, 1 interview
6	Daily loop. Rewrite your landing page headline using the exact words people used in posts and interviews.	20 / 10 / 5
7	Review: which queries and communities produced Hot leads? Kill the bottom 30% of queries. Add 5 new ones.	10 conversations total, 3 users

Week 2 (Days 8–14): Hunt hard, learn fast, get to 30

Day	Actions	Numbers
8	Daily loop. Start cold email (5/day max, playbook/). Set up SPF/DKIM/DMARC first.	20 / 10 / 5
9	Daily loop + 1 interview. Onboard every new user personally: a short welcome message from you, not a template.	1 interview
10	Checkpoint. Open tracker stats. Reply → conversation rate below 5%? Go to "zero replies" below.	Conversation rate ≥ 5%
11	Daily loop. Ask your 3 most active users: "Who else do you know with this problem?"	3 referral asks
12	Daily loop + 1 interview. Publish one useful post in your best community (not a launch; a lesson or a free resource).	1 value post
13	Daily loop. Prepare launch assets: 10-second GIF, 3 screenshots, 60-word description, tagline.	Assets ready
14	Review. Submit to the long-queue directories (launch/launch-directories.md, Tier 2). Pick your Product Hunt and Show HN dates.	30 users

Week 3 (Days 15–21): Launch week, keep hunting, get to 60

Day	Actions	Numbers
15	Claim free profiles: G2, Capterra, SaaSHub, AlternativeTo, Crunchbase. List yourself as an alternative to your top 3 competitors. Daily loop (lighter: 10 / 5 / 5).	5 profiles
16 (Tue–Thu)	Launch day. Product Hunt at 12:01 a.m. PT. Show HN (if people can try it without a waitlist). Indie Hackers story post. Reply to every comment within the hour.	Every comment answered
17	r/SideProject or your sub's promo thread. Your niche community (mod-approved). DM everyone who commented on launch day with a thank-you and one question.
18	Back to the full daily loop. Launch traffic fades in 48 hours; the loop doesn't.	20 / 10 / 5
19	Daily loop + 1 interview with a new launch-day user.	1 interview
20	First pricing test: if free, ask your 10 most active users to pay (or pre-pay for a discount). If paid, try one price change on new signups.	10 pay asks
21	Review. Which channel gave the most activated users (not signups)?	60 users

Week 4 (Days 22–30): Double down, convert, get to 100

Day	Actions	Numbers
22	Put 70% of your time in the top channel from Day 21. Drop the worst one completely.
23	Daily loop. Write the "what happened" post with real numbers (launch traffic, signups, what failed). Post on Indie Hackers and your own channels.	1 story post
24	Daily loop. Ask every activated user for one testimonial sentence. Put the best 3 on the landing page.	3 testimonials
25	Daily loop + 1 interview. Find the "aha" moment (what users did right before they came back) and make onboarding get there faster.
26	Daily loop. Follow up with every lead in "Conversation" that went quiet (1 message max).	All follow-ups sent
27	Daily loop. Ask for reviews on G2/Capterra from happy users (follow each site's review rules).	3 reviews requested
28	Daily loop. Second referral ask to new users.
29	Daily loop. Re-run Demand Hunter with everything you learned: new pain phrases, new competitors.	10 new queries
30	Final review in the tracker. Write down: best channel, best query, best reply, conversion rates, price that worked. That's your next 90-day plan.	100 users

---

The daily loop (60 to 90 minutes)

1. Alerts and replies (10 min). Read F5Bot alerts, answer everyone who replied to you yesterday.
2. Hunt (20 min). Open your top 10 query links sorted by new. Log every promising post in the tracker with a score.
3. Reply (25 min). Write 10 replies to the highest-scored posts with the 4A frame. Each one references a detail in the post.
4. Direct (15 min). 5 DMs or emails to Hot leads and people who replied.
5. Log (5 min). Update statuses. Set follow-up dates.

---

What to do if replies are zero

Find the first stage where the number drops to zero. Fix only that stage, for 5 days, then re-check.

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
You can't find posts (under 10 relevant posts a day)	Queries too narrow, or using your jargon	Use the pain-word versions (queries/intent-queries.md). Search competitor complaints. Go one level broader in audience. Try Google site:reddit.com instead of Reddit search.
Posts exist but they're old	Small niche	Fine. Reply anyway if the thread is open (old threads rank on Google). Add F5Bot alerts so you catch the next one on day 1.
Replies get removed	Rules, account age, links	Read the rules. Remove links. Remove the product mention. Build karma for 2 weeks in that sub.
Replies stay up but nobody answers	Replies are generic or pitchy	Lead with one specific detail. Answer fully before any mention. End with a question that's easy to answer. Cut length in half.
People answer but don't ask about the product	You never mention it, or there's no fit	Add the disclosed one-line mention where allowed. Re-check fit: are these buyers or just people with opinions?
They click but don't sign up	Landing page	Run the landing page checklist. Most common: headline describes the product, not the outcome; sign-up asks for too much; no screenshot of the product.
They sign up but never use it	Onboarding	Email each one personally within an hour. Do the setup for them (concierge). Cut every step that isn't required for the first result.
They use it once and leave	Value or habit	Interview 3 of them (Mom Test). You may be solving a once-a-year problem. Consider changing the audience before changing the product.
Cold emails get 0 replies	Deliverability or targeting	Send a test to your own Gmail and Outlook; if it lands in spam, fix SPF/DKIM/DMARC and remove links. Then shorten the email to under 80 words and make the ask smaller.
Still zero after 10 days of everything	Wrong problem or wrong audience	Stop building. Do 10 interviews with people from your best posts. Ask what they already pay for. The answer is usually next door to what you built.

---

Track these 6 numbers weekly

1. Posts found
2. Replies posted
3. Conversations (two-way exchanges)
4. Signups
5. Activated users (did the core action)
6. Paying customers

Your weekly rates: replies → conversations, conversations → signups, signups → activated, activated → paying. The tracker computes the first three from your statuses.

Score your page: 1 point per "yes". 18+ = ready to send traffic. Under 18 = fix before you reply to anyone, because every helpful reply you write will end on this page.

Test on a phone first. Most people who click from Reddit, X or a DM are on mobile.

Above the fold (what they see before scrolling)

• 1. The headline says the outcome for a specific person, not the product category. ("Get paid on time without chasing clients", not "AI-powered invoicing platform".)
• 2. The headline uses words your customers used in posts or interviews (copy them from the tracker).
• 3. A one-line subheadline says how it works (the mechanism) in plain words.
• 4. One primary button with a verb + result ("Start sending reminders"), not "Submit" or "Learn more".
• 5. A real screenshot, GIF or 10-second video of the product. No stock photos, no abstract illustrations.
• 6. Loads in under 3 seconds on a phone (test with your browser's dev tools or a free speed test).

Proof and trust

• 7. Who it's for, stated outright ("For freelancers and agencies with 5 to 50 invoices a month").
• 8. Who it's not for. One line. It raises trust with the right people.
• 9. Any real proof: a user quote with a name, a number from your own usage, a "built by" section with your face and name.
• 10. No fake proof: no invented logos, review counts or testimonials.
• 11. A clear answer to "is my data safe?" if you touch logins, money or personal data (what you store, where, how to delete it).

The offer

• 12. Price visible (or "free during beta, then $X"). Hidden pricing kills early trust.
• 13. What happens after clicking the button, in one sentence ("Create an account, connect Stripe, done in 3 minutes").
• 14. Sign-up asks only for what's needed to get the first result (email + password, or a Google sign-in).
• 15. If it's for a waitlist: a reason to join now (early price, founder onboarding call, first access).
• 16. A risk reducer: free trial, free plan, money-back period, or "cancel in one click". Use only what you'll honor.

Body

• 17. 3 benefits max, each tied to a pain phrase ("Stop writing 'just following up' emails").
• 18. A 3-step "how it works" section.
• 19. An FAQ with the 3 to 5 real objections you heard (price, competitor X, setup time, data).
• 20. The button repeated at the bottom.

Basics people forget

• 21. Works and looks right at 375px wide (iPhone SE/mini size).
• 22. A contact method (email address or chat). Early users want to reach a human.
• 23. Privacy policy and terms pages (use a reputable template and adapt to your case; check your local rules).
• 24. Analytics that count visits and sign-ups by source (UTM tags on every link you share: ?utm_source=reddit&utm_campaign=hunt).
• 25. Page title and meta description written for humans (they show up in Google and link previews).

---

The 60-second test

Show the page to someone in your audience for 5 seconds, then hide it. Ask:

1. What does this do?
2. Who is it for?
3. What would you click?

If they can't answer all three, rewrite the headline and the button before anything else.

Headline formulas (fill in)

• [Outcome] without [the painful part]. → "Get paid on time without chasing clients."
• [Outcome] for [audience], in [time]. → "A booking page for therapists, set up in 5 minutes."
• The [category] for people who [specific situation]. → "The CRM for freelancers who hate CRMs."
• Stop [pain phrase]. [Product] does it for you. → "Stop writing 'just following up'. Reminders go out automatically."

Based on the three rules from Rob Fitzpatrick's book The Mom Test:

1. Talk about their life, not your idea.
2. Ask about specifics in the past, not opinions about the future.
3. Talk less, listen more.

Why: people are polite. "Would you use this?" gets a "yes" that means nothing. "When did this last happen and what did you do?" gets facts you can build and sell on.

Length: 15 to 20 minutes. Who: people from your Hot and Warm leads, launch-day commenters, new users. Goal per call: learn one thing you didn't know, and leave with a clear next step (or a clear "not a fit").

---

How to ask (DM or email)

Hi [name], saw your post about [problem]. I'm researching how [audience] handle this (I'm building something in the space, but this isn't a sales call). Could I ask you 5 questions for 15 minutes this week? Happy to share what I learn from the other conversations.

Lower friction version: offer to do it by text in the DM thread.

---

The script

1. Open (1 minute)

Thanks for this. I'm trying to understand how [audience] deal with [problem area]. No pitch; I'll only mention what I'm building at the end if you want. I'll take notes, is that OK?

2. Context (3 minutes)

• "Walk me through how you [do the task] today, from the start."
• "Who else is involved?"
• "How often does this come up?"

3. The last time (5 minutes): the most important part

• "Tell me about the last time [problem] happened. What exactly happened?"
• "What did you do about it?"
• "How long did that take?" / "What did it cost you?" (time, money, a client, stress)
• "What was the most annoying part?"

4. What they've tried (4 minutes)

• "Have you looked for a solution? Where did you look?"
• "What have you tried? Why did you stop using it?" (gold: churn reasons from competitors)
• "Are you paying for anything related to this today? How much?"
• "If you could wave a wand, what would be different?" (listen for outcomes, ignore feature requests)

5. Priority (2 minutes)

• "Where does this rank among the problems you're dealing with this month?"
• "What would happen if you never fixed it?"

6. Close (2 minutes)

• "Who else do you know who deals with this? Could you introduce me?"
• "Can I follow up when I have something for you to try?"
• Only now, if they ask: show the product in 2 minutes. Then: "Would you try it this week?" Watch for a commitment (time, money, intro), not a compliment.

---

Questions to never ask

Bad (opinion, future, leading)	Better (fact, past)
"Would you use an app that does X?"	"When did you last deal with X? What did you do?"
"How much would you pay for this?"	"What do you pay for anything related today?"
"Do you think this is a good idea?"	"What's the hardest part of [task]?"
"Would this feature be useful?"	"Why did you stop using [tool you tried]?"

---

Signals to write down

Strong buying signals

• They already pay for a workaround or a competitor.
• They built their own workaround (a spreadsheet, a Zapier chain, a script).
• They searched for a solution recently.
• They give you a commitment: time for a second call, an intro, a pre-payment, data to test with.

Weak or false signals

• "That's cool." "I'd totally use that." "Let me know when it's ready."
• Feature requests without a story behind them.
• Problems that happen once a year.

---

After the call (5 minutes)

Fill this in the tracker's notes for that lead:

Interview: [date], [role], [company size]
Last time it happened: [what, when]
What they did: [workaround]
Cost: [time/money/clients]
Already paying for: [tool, $]
Exact words worth stealing: "[quote]"
Commitment given: [none / second call / intro / trial / paid]
Fit: [Hot / Warm / Not a fit] because [reason]

After 5 interviews, look for the same "exact words" showing up twice. Put them in your headline and your queries.

How this list was checked: every site was loaded on 2026-10-04 and returned its live product page. Prices come from the site's own pricing or submit page where one was readable that day, or from a pricing roundup dated August 18, 2026 (marked "Aug 2026 source"). Prices change often. Treat them as a starting point and confirm on the submit page.

Legend

• Verified: site live on 2026-10-04 and the cost/model confirmed (own page or dated 2026 source).
• Live, check price: site live, but I couldn't confirm the current price. Check the submit page.
• Cost: Free, Free + paid, Paid.

What to expect, honestly: most directories send little traffic. Their real value is (a) a handful of early users on launch day, (b) a permanent backlink and listing that helps SEO and AI search engines find you, and (c) social proof ("Featured on..."). The places that actually send customers are the communities in Tier 1 and the threads you find with the query bank. Spend your energy there.

---

Tier 1: Where launches still move the needle (do these well)

#	Place	Cost	Audience	Status	Tips
1	Product Hunt (producthunt.com)	Free	Largest general tech/maker audience	Verified	Launch day starts 12:01 a.m. Pacific. You may ask people to visit and comment, not to upvote. Pick the day you're most prepared, not the "best" day. Have a maker comment ready, a demo GIF/video, and reply to every comment.
2	Show HN (news.ycombinator.com/show)	Free	Developers, technical founders	Verified	Title starts with "Show HN:". Must be something people can try now: no landing pages, waitlists or sign-up walls; ideally no sign-up at all. Don't ask friends to upvote or comment. Post a first comment with the backstory and what you want feedback on.
3	Indie Hackers (indiehackers.com)	Free	Bootstrapped founders	Verified	Write a post with real numbers and lessons ("4 months, 3 users: what I changed"). Stories travel; launches don't.
4	r/SideProject	Free	Makers, early adopters	Verified (rules via 2026 guides)	Promotion-friendly. Show the thing (GIF), say what you want feedback on, comment on others' projects too.
5	r/startups	Free	Founders	Verified (rules via 2026 guides)	Self-promotion only in the pinned "Share Your Startup" thread. Elsewhere: value only.
6	Hacker News "Who wants to be hired?" (freelancers)	Free	Companies hiring	Verified (October 2026 thread live)	Posted by whoishiring the first weekday of each month. Follow the format in the post. Also read "Who is hiring?" for leads.
7	Peerlist Launchpad (peerlist.io/launchpad)	Free	Developers and tech professionals	Verified	Weekly cohorts; the launch window opens on Mondays and you get a full week instead of 24 hours.
8	Your niche's own community	Free	Exactly your buyers	—	The Shopify/Webflow/Notion forum, a Slack or Discord group, a Facebook group. Ask a moderator first. Often worth more than everything below combined.

Tier 2: Indie launch platforms (pick 5 to 8, same week)

#	Place	Cost	Audience	Status	Tips
9	Uneed (uneed.best)	Free + paid	Indie makers (claims ~90K monthly visitors)	Verified	Skip the line $29.99; Pro $99/year (pricing page, Oct 2026). Free launches need an upvote score of 10 to stay published and 20 for the do-follow backlink.
10	BetaList (betalist.com)	Paid	Early adopters of pre-launch startups	Verified (Aug 2026 source)	BetaList's FAQ says all submissions now require payment; founders report $39 to $299. Best for pre-launch: needs a clear landing page with a sign-up form.
11	Microlaunch (microlaunch.net)	Free + paid	Indie and micro-SaaS makers	Verified (Aug 2026 source)	Monthly cohorts. Pro launch $39. Emphasis on feedback.
12	Fazier (fazier.com)	Free + paid	Makers, AI products	Verified (Aug 2026 source)	Free tier requires a Fazier badge/backlink on your site. Paid from $29.
13	DevHunt (devhunt.org)	Free	Developers	Verified (Aug 2026 source)	Dev tools only. Weekly. Shows impression counts publicly.
14	TinyLaunch (tinylaunch.com)	Free + paid	Indie makers	Verified (pricing page, Oct 2026)	Standard launch free (badge and backlink for top 3). Premium $39 skips the queue with a guaranteed backlink.
15	Tiny Startups (tinystartups.com)	Free + paid	Indie founders; claims 25k+ newsletter subscribers	Verified	Human-curated. Paid tool/deal listings $69 on the site.
16	Launching Next (launchingnext.com)	Free + paid	Startup readers, Friday newsletter	Verified (submit page, Oct 2026)	Free submission; $99 upgrade for consideration within 1 business day (speed, not guaranteed placement).
17	Firsto (firsto.co)	Free + paid	Indie makers	Verified (pricing page, Oct 2026)	Free launch with a long wait (about 180 days shown); Premium $19.90 launches within 24 hours.
18	OpenHunts (openhunts.com)	Free + paid	Indie makers	Verified (pricing page, Oct 2026)	20 free slots a week (queue showed ~60 weeks); Premium launches next Monday (listed ~$9.90 to $19). Launches at 8:00 a.m. UTC.
19	LaunchIgniter (launchigniter.com)	Free + paid	Indie makers	Verified (pricing page, Oct 2026)	Free launch requires their badge on your homepage and a manual review; Basic launch $12 skips the queue.
20	Startup Fame (startupfa.me)	Free + paid	Founders	Verified (pricing page, Oct 2026)	Free listing if you show their homepage badge (reviewed within ~7 days); paid boosts from $19/month.
21	IndieNeed (indieneed.com)	Free + paid	Indie products, AI tools, SaaS	Verified (pricing page, Oct 2026)	Free listing after review (nofollow link); $15 for 7 days featured without review. New (launched 2026).
22	StartupBase (startupbase.io)	Free + paid?	Makers	Live, check price	Daily launches. Check the submit page for current terms.
23	IndieTool (indietool.io)	?	Indie founders	Live, check price	Directory plus launchpad. Check terms.
24	PitchWall (betapage.co now redirects here)	?	AI products	Live, check price	The old BetaPage domain now opens PitchWall. Check terms.
25	SideProjectors (sideprojectors.com)	Free	Makers, buyers of small projects	Verified	Free to list (showcase, co-founder, or for sale). Useful if you'd sell or want a co-founder.

Tier 3: Permanent listings (SEO, "alternatives" traffic, AI search)

#	Place	Cost	Audience	Status	Tips
26	SaaSHub (saashub.com)	Free + paid	People comparing software	Verified (Aug 2026 source)	Creates "[competitor] alternatives" pages automatically. List yourself as an alternative to your top 3 competitors.
27	AlternativeTo (alternativeto.net)	Free	People searching "alternative to X"	Verified (Aug 2026 source)	Community-edited. Add your product and link it as an alternative to competitors. Matches your #1 intent type.
28	G2 (g2.com)	Free profile; paid from $299/month	B2B software buyers	Verified	Claim the free profile. Ask your first 10 happy users for honest reviews (G2 has rules on incentives; read them).
29	Capterra (capterra.com)	Free basic listing; PPC on top	SMB software buyers	Verified	Free listing; paid clicks are an auction with a reported $500/month minimum. Now owned by G2 (Feb 2026) but run separately.
30	Crunchbase (crunchbase.com)	Free profile	Investors, press, researchers	Verified (site live)	Create the company profile. Small effort, permanent credibility.
31	Startup Stash (startupstash.com)	?	Founders looking for tools	Live, check price	Curated directory of startup tools. Submit if you serve founders.
32	AppSumo Marketplace (appsumo.com/partners)	No upfront fee; revenue share on sales	Deal hunters, SMBs	Verified (site live)	Self-listing with a commission on sales. Good for cash and users; lifetime deals can attract demanding customers. Read current partner terms.

Tier 4: AI tool directories (only if your product is AI)

#	Place	Cost	Audience	Status	Tips
33	There's An AI For That (theresanaiforthat.com)	Paid ($49 website-only to $347 with newsletter + ads); free monthly X-thread contest	Very large AI-tools audience (self-reported 5M+/month)	Verified (Aug 2026 source)	Worth it only if your tool solves a clear task people search for.
34	Futurepedia (futurepedia.io)	Paid ($247 basic, often sold out; $497 verified)	Professionals browsing AI tools	Verified (Aug 2026 source)	Expensive for an unproven product. Do it after you have reviews.
35	Toolify (toolify.ai)	Paid ($99 one-time)	AI tools browsers, 10 languages	Verified (Aug 2026 source)	Listed within ~48 hours.
36	AI Tools Directory (aitoolsdirectory.com)	?	AI tools browsers	Live, check price	Live. Check submission terms.

Tier 5: More communities (free, rules vary)

#	Place	Cost	Audience	Status	Tips
37	r/alphaandbetausers	Free	Beta testers	Verified (rules via 2026 guides)	Ask for testers, say exactly what you want tested and what they get.
38	r/roastmystartup	Free	Founders giving blunt feedback	Verified (rules via 2026 guides)	Ask for a roast of your landing page. Thick skin required; you'll learn more than from any launch.
39	r/IMadeThis and r/microsaas	Free	Makers	Verified (rules via 2026 guides)	Showcase-friendly. Show, don't sell.
40	DEV Community (dev.to)	Free	Developers	Verified (site live)	Write a "how I built it" post with code. Tag carefully.
41	Lobsters (lobste.rs)	Free, invite-only	Technical readers	Verified (site live)	You need an invite from a member. Only for genuinely technical work; self-promotion is frowned upon.
42	r/SaaS and r/vibecoding	Free	SaaS founders; AI-assisted builders	Verified (rules via 2026 guides)	r/SaaS allows founder stories that mention your product, not pure ads. r/vibecoding discourages blatant promotion of commercial services. Lead with the build story.

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The 7-day launch stack (copy this)

Day	Do
Day -7	Claim profiles: G2, Capterra, Crunchbase, SaaSHub, AlternativeTo. Prepare 1 GIF (10 s), 3 screenshots, a 60-word description, a 160-character tagline. Same assets everywhere.
Day -3	Submit to the free queues with long waits (Uneed, Firsto, OpenHunts, TinyLaunch, LaunchIgniter, Microlaunch). Note launch dates in the tracker.
Day 0 (Tue–Thu)	Product Hunt at 12:01 a.m. PT. Show HN the same day or the day after (different audiences). Post on Indie Hackers with the story.
Day 1	r/SideProject (or your sub's promo thread). Peerlist Launchpad if it's Monday.
Day 2–3	Your niche community. Reply to every comment everywhere within 12 hours.
Day 4–7	Write the "what happened" post with real numbers (traffic, signups, what failed). It often beats the launch itself.

Do not pay for a "submit to 100 directories" service before you have 10 users. The free and cheap ones above cover 90% of the value. Directories don't replace talking to the people in queries/intent-queries.md.