Direct outreach

Personal DMs to people with the problem

Message people who posted about the problem. Often the fastest route to your first ten customers.

Cost
Free

Free to use. No paid tier is needed to list or post.

Verdict
works

Works: people who posted about the problem often reply.

Difficulty
Easy

Mostly self-serve. Sign up and post, with light checks.

Effort
High

About 10 or more hours a month, mostly during launches or a regular posting habit.

First result
1 to 2 weeks

A rough range for one person working on it part-time.

Payoff
Steady

a trickle that lasts while you run it.

Best for

Early products that need first customers.

Not for

Products that cannot be explained in one message.

Pros

  • Often the fastest route to first customers
  • Free

Cons

  • Does not scale
  • Can feel like spam if careless

The full guide

Last verified 2026-10-30

Links checked 2026-10-30 · No website to check: this channel works by word of mouth or offline

01What it is and who is there

This means messaging people who publicly said they have the problem you solve: a complaint on X, a question on Reddit, a post on LinkedIn. They already care, so a short, honest note often gets a reply. It is often the fastest route to your first ten users. It does not scale, and done carelessly it reads as spam.

02Cost and what you actually pay for

It is free. The cost is your time to search, read and write personal messages.

03Is it right for you?

It fits early products that need their first users and feedback. It fits poorly for products that cannot be explained in a message. If you send templates without reading what people wrote, do not do it at all.

04Before you start

  • Search terms that people use to describe the problem.
  • A short message you will personalize every time.
  • A way to try the product without a long sign-up.
  • Check each platform's rules on direct messages.

05Step-by-step: how to distribute here

  1. Search platforms for posts describing the problem in the last few weeks.
  2. Read each post fully.
  3. Reply publicly first if that is more natural; message only if the platform allows it and it is appropriate.
  4. Say who you are, why you are reaching out, and offer help, not a pitch.
  5. If they reply, help them, and ask what they would need.
  6. Log every conversation and what you learned.

06What to post or submit

Message:

Hi [name], I saw your post about [problem]. I'm building [product] for exactly that, and I'd love your take. Happy to set it up for you free if you want to try it. No worries if not.

07Common mistakes and do-nots

  • Do not send the same message to hundreds of people.
  • Do not message people who did not express the problem.
  • Do not keep messaging after no reply.
  • Do not hide that you built the product.

08How to measure it

  • Track messages sent, replies and users.
  • A realistic test: 30 personal messages over two weeks.

09Time budget

  • Ongoing: 30 to 60 minutes a day for two to four weeks.

10Pair it with

11Sources

Sources