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Find the channels where your first users are
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I'm building a…
Every channel, rated.
Open any channel for its own page: what you pay, pros and cons, a step-by-step guide, and what founders on X say about it.
Channels that work together.
A short set of channels picked for one kind of product. Run each for 30 days and keep the one that moves your number.
Your first 10, then 100.
Ten steps each, all doable without an audience. Each step says what to do, how long it takes, what to say, and when it is done.
You do not need an audience to get your first customers. You need to talk to people who already have the problem. Each step below takes under an hour, and each one ends when you have done it, not when customers appear.
Your first 10 customers
Mostly by hand. Talk to people directly.
- 01
Write down 20 people who have this problem
Friends, former colleagues, people you have helped, people in your existing groups. Do not filter yet.
Nothing yet. This list is for you.
Done when: You have 20 names, each with one line on why they might care.
- 02
Ask 3 of them what they do today
Message or call. Ask how they handle the problem now, not whether they want your product.
"I'm trying to understand how you handle [problem]. What do you do today?"
Done when: You know their current workaround in their own words.
- 03
Offer a free first run to 5 people
Set it up with them on a call or screen share. Watch where they get stuck.
"I'd like to set this up with you, free, for a week. I'll watch and fix anything that gets in the way."
Done when: 5 people have used it once with you watching.
- 04
Fix the top stuck point from those runs
Change the one thing that blocked the most people. Do not add features.
Done when: The same stuck point does not come up in the next run.
- 05
Ask for the first payment, or a first commitment
Offer a founding price for early users, in exchange for their feedback. Ask for money or a clear yes.
"It's [price] for early users, and I'll keep it at that price for you. Shall I set it up?"
Done when: One person has paid or committed to a date.
- 06
Post one honest update where your people already are
A short post in a community you already use, not a broadcast. Say what you built, for whom, and what you want help with.
"I built [product] for [who]. Looking for [number] people to try it free this week. Happy to answer questions."
Done when: The post is up and you have answered every reply.
- 07
Ask every happy user for one referral
Ask right after they get a result, when they are most pleased.
"You mentioned [result]. Who else do you know who has this problem?"
Done when: Each happy user has been asked once.
- 08
Answer questions where your buyers already ask them
Find the questions your buyers ask in the places from the Niche subreddits and Answering questions guides. Answer helpfully first. Mention your product only if it solves the question, and say you built it.
Answer the question. Then: "Disclosure: I built [product] to solve this."
Done when: 5 useful answers, each without a link unless it was asked for.
- 09
Write down what the first 10 said
Put their words in one document: why they came, what they liked, what they did not get.
Done when: A one-page list of their words.
- 10
Count, then choose the next step
Count how many came from which place. Keep the one place that worked. Drop the rest for now.
Done when: You have one channel to repeat for the next 10.
From your first 10 to 100
Repeat what worked, and let people find you.
- 01
Pick one channel that brought your first 10
Choose the one that brought the most people, or the best ones. Ignore the rest for 30 days.
Done when: One channel is written at the top of your plan.
- 02
Set a small daily number
Three meaningful actions a day in that channel, for example three useful replies or three direct conversations.
Done when: The number is written down and done each day for a week.
- 03
Launch on the directories that fit
Submit to the launch boards and directories in the channel list that fit your product. Use the same tagline everywhere.
Use the tagline from your kit.
Done when: Submitted to 5 that fit, each with a tracking link.
- 04
Make a comparison page people search for
Write an honest page: your product against the tool people already use, with the real difference and who should not switch.
Write for the buyer, not for search engines.
Done when: The page is live and linked from your site.
- 05
Ask for a review from 5 customers
Ask customers who got a result to write two honest sentences. Send them the exact question to answer.
"Could you share in two sentences what changed for you?"
Done when: 5 reviews, each with the customer's permission.
- 06
Set up a waitlist for the next step
A single form on your site: name, email, and one question about the problem. Tell the waitlist when you ship.
"Join the list and I'll tell you first when [next thing] is ready."
Done when: The form is live and you have sent one update.
- 07
Do one partner exchange a month
Find one founder whose customers have the same problem and not your product. Offer a shout-out in exchange for one of theirs.
"Your readers have [problem]. I'd like to share your [thing] with mine, if you're up for it."
Done when: One exchange agreed, and both posts live.
- 08
Write one case study from a real result
Use one customer's story, with their permission, and the numbers they gave you.
Done when: One case study published.
- 09
Review the numbers each Friday
Count customers, where they came from and what they did after signing up. Change one thing.
Done when: A note with the week's numbers and one change.
- 10
Ask your best customers for their next customers
Give your best 10 customers a simple way to introduce you, such as a link they can share.
"If you know anyone with [problem], would you send them this?"
Done when: 10 people have been asked and the link is ready.
Rules of thumb
- Measure customers, not reach. Ten real users beat ten thousand views.
- If it feels like spam to you, it feels like spam to them. Stop and talk to a person instead.
- Ask for one thing at a time: a conversation, a try, then a payment.
- Be clear about the price and what is free. Nobody likes a surprise at checkout.
- Rest on the days you have done your number. Consistency beats one big push.
What founders are saying.
Data from X.
How channels are rated.
Verdicts, effort and difficulty are editorial judgment. Fees are stated only where the platform's own page was checked; everything else says to check current terms.
Works
Brings real users to solo founders reliably, with a clear way to start.
Slow burn
Works, but pays off over months, depends on your niche, or needs several tries.
Long shot
Can work, but needs money, reviews, an audience or a lucky fit first.
Effort
Rough hours a month for one person: low is a few hours, high is a weekly habit.
Difficulty
How hard it is to get in or get results: self-serve, needs review or prep, or gatekept.
Cost
Free, free with paid options, paid, free with a required fee, or a revenue share. Hover a tag for details.
Why I built Reachlist
Hi, I'm
Sharad, and I build products on the internet.
Building got fast. AI writes half the code now. Getting the first users did not get any easier. Every launch starts with the same question: where do I actually post this?
The answers are scattered across
threads on X, old
Reddit comments and blog posts, and half the lists are dead links or paid "submit to 500 directories" services.
So I put every channel that works for indie hackers in one place, with three things in mind:
- Honest. Fees are checked against each platform's own page, or the guide says to check current terms. No paid placements, no affiliate links.
- Practical. 155 channels, each with its own page: what you pay, pros and cons, a step-by-step guide and a template for what to post.
- Free. No sign-up and no tracking. Save a shortlist and export it as markdown.
Oh, and if a channel worked or flopped for you, tell me below. That is how the list gets better.
Questions, answered.
Is Reachlist free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no paywall and no tracking. Your shortlist is saved in your own browser.
Which channels should I start with?
Pick what you are building in the "I'm building a…" picker at the top, or open a playbook. Then choose three channels, run each for 30 days, and keep the one that moves your number.
How are channels rated?
Each channel has a verdict (works, slow burn, long shot), an effort level and a difficulty level. These are editorial judgment, explained in the Method section, not measured data.
Are the prices and fees accurate?
Fees are stated only where the platform's own page was checked, with the date. Everything else says to check current terms, because platforms change pricing often.
Where do the posts from X come from?
They are found by search and pulled through the FxEmbed API. The site shows a short excerpt and links to the original. Numbers in posts are the authors' own, and many authors sell a related product.
Can I suggest a channel or a correction?
Yes, please. Send it to @sharadvc on X with a link to the source.