Nearly 18 years ago, I started building Jotform. Today, Jotform serves over 25 million users worldwide, but the journey to the first 1,000 users saw the biggest failures and the most valuable lessons. I wanted to share what I learned:

1. Tap into your network first

When I launched Jotform, I didn’t have a huge marketing budget. Instead, I reached out to friends, family, and colleagues. I asked them to try my product and share their honest feedback. This initial group helped me refine the product and gave me the confidence that I was on the right track. Your network is your first circle of trust. Don’t hesitate to use it.

2. Be active in online communities

Online communities are goldmines for early-stage SaaS products. I spent countless hours engaging in forums and discussion boards. Today, platforms like Reddit, Indie Hackers, and LinkedIn groups can provide the same value. Participate actively, share your journey, ask for feedback, and offer help. Building relationships in these communities can lead to your first loyal users.

3. Offer something irresistible and free

People love free stuff. I made Jotform free to start with, which lowered the barrier for people to try it. Whether it's a freemium plan or a free trial, offering a no-risk way to use your product is important. It not only brings in users but also helps you get useful feedback to make it better.

4. Personalize Your Outreach

Taking the time to do personal outreach can have a big impact. I spent time sending customized emails to potential users and tech blogs. Writing messages that are specific to them shows you value their feedback and experience. Nowadays, sending personalized LinkedIn messages or Twitter DMs can also work really well.

5. Offer tailored solutions

Offer customized solutions or quick demos to show what your product can do. To showcase Jotform's features, I started a "Request a Form" service where users could explain what they needed, and I created the forms for them. This hands-on method had a double whammy of showing how Jotform could help solve their problem and just how I cared.

6. Watch users in action

I had people at the tech center where I worked try Jotform while I watched. It was like a live usability test, and their feedback was really helpful. You can now use tools like Hotjar or FullStory to watch how users use your product and see where they encounter problems. Watching real users helps you make quick improvements.

7. Create content with purpose

Content marketing isn’t just about making lots of posts, there needs to be a clear goal and reason behind each thing you put out. I focused on making helpful, high-quality content that taught users and answered their questions. Platforms like Medium, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok are great for reaching and teaching your audience. Take advantage. Content users find useful builds trust and naturally attracts more users.

8. Turn testimonials into stories

Social proof is more than just testimonials. Turn customer feedback into stories that show how your product helps and makes a difference, then share these stories on platforms like Trustpilot and social media. This will help your business build trust and attract new customers. Shoutouts and endorsements can also strengthen your story, which will, in turn, attract more users and help you grow.

9. Use early-adopter platforms

You can get a big visibility boost from platforms like Product. Communities like these are full of tech lovers ready to try new things and share feedback. A successful launch can help you get people's attention right away and get useful comments from them.

10. Build in public 

Sharing your journey openly can attract early users who care about your story and want to see you succeed. Sharing updates, challenges, and milestones on social media - especially Twitter -  and on platforms like Indie Hackers can help you create a community around your product.

11. Relentless promotion

Share something about your product every day. Stay consistent ᅳ keep promoting and engaging without giving up. ⁤⁤Every little effort counts. ⁤⁤Be experimental with it and try out different things — social media posts, email newsletters, and online groups — to find what works best. 

12. Build an email list early

Start building an email list from day one. Engage your audience with regular, valuable updates. Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools for converting interested visitors into loyal users.

13. Optimize for search engines 

SEO was critical for our long-term growth. It takes time, but it brings a steady stream of visitors who are likely looking for your product. Creating high-quality, targeted content drove organic traffic to Jotform. These visitors are easier to convert because they have a clear intention — if you target the right keywords. Focus on SEO right after you validate the idea.