Lurker-to-Leader: The Zero-Budget Community Playbook for Solo SaaS Founders to Land Their First 100 Users
How to get first 100 SaaS users without ads by promoting your startup in online communities (a community-led growth strategy for 2025)
If you're bootstrapping a SaaS product on your own with zero marketing budget, communities are your best shot at hitting early traction. Instead of blasting ads you can’t afford, you join the places where your potential users already spend time. Show up, help out, and become part of the conversation before you ever mention your product.
The numbers back it up: nearly 1 in 5 successful startups found early traction by plugging into existing communities instead of ads or SEO. For solo founders, that’s a proven growth path you can tap today without spending a dime.
Here’s a practical playbook for turning yourself from anonymous lurker to trusted contributor, and then into the founder who naturally wins their first 100 users.
Step 1: Find the right communities (where your users already congregate)
Where do your ideal customers post?
- Subreddits or forums connected to their job-to-be-done (e.g., a dev-tools SaaS → programming subreddits or Indie Hacker-style founder forums).
- Slack or Discord groups tied to their role, industry, or tech stack (e.g., marketing, no-code, startups).
- Product Hunt discussions and indie maker communities where early adopters spend their time.
How to narrow your search:
- Use queries like "[your audience] + Slack community" or "[your niche] + Discord server."
- Ask beta users or peers which communities they trust for learning and support.
- Pick 2–3 active, high-signal groups with daily conversation. Focus matters more than scattering surface-level posts everywhere.
Slack vs. Discord (choose wisely):
- Discord gives you unlimited members and engagement tools for free, making it easier to scale.
- Slack has a professional vibe and threaded discussions that keep conversations cleaner. The right answer is simply whichever your audience already prefers.
Action item:
Pick two communities. Read their rules, skim threads from the last week, and jot down recurring struggles or common questions. That’s where you’ll eventually add value.
For a quick overview of how community-led growth fits alongside other free strategies: "Marketing Your Bootstrapped Startup on a Zero Budget - 5 Tactics"
Step 2: Go from lurker to trusted contributor (without looking spammy)
Credibility comes from giving way more value than you take. Here’s how to show up well:
Do’s:
- Answer real questions with specifics, not vague tips. Share checklists, quick fixes, or lessons learned in your domain.
- Post prompts that spark honest conversations (e.g., “What’s your current workaround for [pain X]? What’s still broken?”).
- Respect the boundaries. If the group has a #promo thread, keep self-promotion there.
- Engage consistently. Reply, ask clarifying questions, and follow up with people when they try your suggestions.
Don’ts:
- Don’t spam product links or cold-DM strangers. You haven’t earned that yet.
- Don’t hijack threads to push your tool. If you’re new, recommend well-known solutions first. Only mention your product in context and disclose that you built it.
- Don’t fake activity with burner accounts or friends. Communities see through that fast.
Signals you’re making progress:
- People start tagging you for advice.
- Members message you privately about the problem you’re solving.
- Moderators or long-time group members respond positively to your input.
Step 3: Softly introduce your product at the right moment (templates inside)
Once people trust you, you can mention your tool - sparingly and only in context.
How to do it naturally:
- Direct asks: When someone explicitly asks for a tool like yours, respond with genuine help first, then mention your product.
Example:
“I ran into this too and here’s what worked: [brief tactic]. I actually built a small tool to make that step faster. I’m the founder - happy to share access if it helps. No pressure.” - Dedicated share threads: Use #demo-day, #promo, or feedback channels. Frame it as: “I’d love your thoughts on this beta,” not, “Sign up now!”
- Problem-solution posts: Share a short guide on solving a common pain point. At the end, mention your product as one option, with a founder disclosure.
Case study: ManyPixels
Founder Robin Vander Heyden got his startup’s first users entirely from niche Facebook groups. He wrote honest posts asking for feedback and explaining the value prop. Because it was framed as collaboration, not a sales pitch, those groups delivered his initial customers.
Rules of thumb when sharing:
- Always disclose you’re the founder.
- Lead with value and generosity - share free access, a month trial, or personal support.
- Ask for feedback instead of pushing a conversion.
And after your first mention, cool it. Alternate back to helping broadly. Answer individual questions privately or in your own support space.
Step 4: Convert and nurture your first 100 users (turn early adopters into champions)
Your first batch of users won’t just appear. You need to treat them like partners.
- High-touch onboarding: Personally welcome new signups. Answer setup questions live. Celebrate little wins they get using your tool. These moments create organic referrals.
- Feedback loop: Create a small Slack, Discord, or email circle for your early adopters. Make it easy for them to give feedback, share struggles, and suggest features.
- Stay in the original communities: Not to promote endlessly, but to share what you’re learning. It keeps your reputation alive.
- Scale carefully: Once one community clicks, repeat the same approach in the next. Never just paste promos; learn the culture first.
- Track light metrics:
- Helpful replies/posts per week
- Replies that turn into private chats
- Signups from shared links or invite codes
- Trial-to-active ratio of community users
- Amount and type of feedback
Celebrate milestones openly. When you hit 10, then 50, then 100 users, share a thankful update in the community. Lurkers who’ve been watching might step forward when they see real progress.
If you want to complement community growth with one-to-one outreach, this guide applies the same help-first approach: "Cold Outreach for Creators: How to Get Clients Without Looking Desperate"
Lightweight tools to streamline this playbook
- Landing page: Build a quick, clear page on Webflow. Give different invite codes to each community so you know which ones are converting.
- Keep track of conversations: Use Notion as a lightweight CRM. Simple columns like “People to help,” “Feedback received,” and “Beta users” will organize your early growth.
Quick recap (the community-led path to your first 100 users)
- Pick 2–3 communities where your ideal users talk.
- Listen first. Help consistently without breaking the culture.
- Introduce your tool only when it’s relevant or in designated promo spaces. Always disclose.
- Treat the first users like VIPs: onboard personally, involve them in feedback, and keep engaging in the group.
- Repeat the same play in new communities, measure progress lightly, and let credibility compound.
When you put usefulness first, communities repay with attention, trust, and adoption. That’s how a solo founder can go from zero to 100 real users without ads - and set up a reputation that keeps working long after.
