Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out! Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on getting customers for your new SaaS website, especially when you've got no money for ads right now.
Focusing on free promotion first...
Since you're starting with zero budget for paid advertising, you'll definitely need to lean hard into organic and free promotion methods. Based on my experience with SaaS launches, there are quite a few things you can do that don't cost a penny beyond your time and effort.
One of the most effective ways to get your SaaS discovered by early adopters and potential users without spending money is by listing it on relevant online directories and communities. Think about places where people go specifically to find new software, apps, or tools. Listing there puts your product in front of an audience that's already looking for solutions like yours.
Getting discovered on the right platforms...
Several platforms are known for helping new software get visibility:
- Product Hunt: Great for launching new products and getting upvotes and visibility from a tech-savvy community.
- Indie Hackers: A community of founders building online businesses; sharing your journey here can attract users and provide valuable feedback.
- Betalist: Allows you to showcase your startup before you officially launch or while you're still in beta.
- Capterra (and similar review sites): While some features cost, simply listing your basic information is often free and gets you in front of businesses searching for specific software categories.
The big advantage here is that these platforms already have built-in audiences. The disadvantage is that there's competition, but it's a much better starting point than trying to build an audience from scratch on a generic platform when you have no budget.
Other free avenues include leveraging social media, but if you're starting from scratch without an existing following, it can be difficult to get noticed. Content marketing and SEO are also powerful long-term strategies, but they require a significant investment of time and consistent effort over many months before you typically see meaningful results.
Your initial actionable step:
Given your constraint of no budget, here is a clear first step you should take:
| Action | Details | Expected Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| List on Directories | Prepare compelling listings for platforms like Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, Betalist, and potentially free listings on review sites like Capterra. | Get your SaaS seen by early adopters, acquire first users, gather feedback, and build initial traction without ad spend. |
This will give you some initial momentum, get your product into the hands of real users, and start building a small community and feedback loop. Once you start generating revenue or secure funding, you can then consider paid advertising, which can offer faster and more scalable results, although it requires careful planning and execution to be cost-effective.
Navigating the early stages of customer acquisition with limited resources can be challenging, and structuring your efforts effectively from the start is crucial. As you grow and potentially look into paid channels or more complex organic strategies, having expert guidance can often save you a lot of time and prevent costly mistakes.
If you'd like to discuss this further or need help planning how to transition to paid growth later on, we're always happy to hop on a free consultation to give you more specific advice tailored to your SaaS.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
