Reddit Marketing Solution

How to Get First Customers on Reddit

Land your first paying customers without a marketing budget

You have a product ready to sell but zero customers. You need to find people willing to pay, not just try for free. The jump from zero to one is the hardest.

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Signs You Need to Get First Customers

If any of these sound familiar, you are in the right place.

Free users but no paying customers

People use your free tier but will not pay. You need customers who value your solution.

No marketing budget

You cannot afford paid ads. You need organic channels that cost time, not money.

No case studies or testimonials

Without customers, you cannot prove your product works. Classic chicken-and-egg.

Cold outreach gets ignored

Emails and DMs get no response. You need warmer leads.

How to Get First Customers on Reddit

Follow these steps to solve this problem using Reddit communities.

1

Find communities where people discuss buying solutions

Look for posts where people ask "what tool should I use for X?" These are people ready to pay for solutions.

Reddit Radar: AI finds buying-intent posts automatically
2

Help people before mentioning your product

Answer questions generously. Build a reputation as someone helpful. When you do mention your product, it carries more weight.

3

Respond to tool recommendation requests

When someone asks for tool recommendations in your category, share your product as one option among several. Be honest about pros and cons.

Reddit Radar: HOT alerts for high-intent posts
4

Offer a no-risk way to try

Free trials, money-back guarantees, or pilot programs reduce friction for first customers who have no social proof to rely on.

5

Ask early customers for referrals

Once you land first customers, ask them to share in communities where they hang out. Word-of-mouth from community members is powerful.

Key Success Factor

Consistency and authenticity matter more than tactics. Build genuine relationships in communities before expecting results.

Best Communities to Get First Customers

These subreddits are where people actively discuss and solve this problem.

r/Entrepreneur
High Activity

Entrepreneurs actively look for tools to solve business problems

r/smallbusiness
High Activity

Small business owners have real problems and budgets to solve them

r/SaaS
High Activity

SaaS community members frequently recommend and purchase tools

r/startups
High Activity

Startups need tools and are willing to try new solutions

View all subreddit guides

What to Expect When You Get First Customers

Realistic timeline for seeing results with this approach.

Week 1-2

14 days

Build reputation in target communities, identify buying-intent posts

Week 3-4

14 days

Engage with recommendation requests, get first 1-3 paying customers

Month 2-3

60 days

Build referral loop from early customers, reach 10+ paying customers

Results vary based on your niche, effort level, and community engagement. These are typical outcomes, not guarantees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about how to get first customers on Reddit

Typically 2-4 weeks of consistent effort. You need time to build credibility before product mentions are well-received. Rushing leads to spam perception and bans.
Yes. Early customers take a risk on an unproven product. Lifetime deals or significant discounts reward that risk. Just ensure the discount is sustainable and you can still learn from their usage.
Most niches have relevant subreddits. If not the exact category, find adjacent communities. A B2B accounting tool might find customers in r/smallbusiness or r/accounting even if no accounting-software subreddit exists.
Only mention your product when genuinely relevant. Lead with value, not promotion. When recommending your tool, also recommend alternatives and be honest about limitations. Transparency builds trust.
Good first customers have the problem your product solves, communicate openly, and understand you are early-stage. They should be willing to give feedback and patient with imperfections. Avoid customers who expect enterprise-level polish.
Start with 2-3 communities where your target customers are most active. Depth beats breadth. Being known in one community is more valuable than being invisible in ten.

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