You've Validated. Now What?
You have PMF. Your product is ready. Now comes the hard part: getting your first 100 customers.
Most founders launch and hope. They post on Product Hunt, send emails, and wait. Then they're shocked when nobody buys.
A real go-to-market strategy is different. It's intentional. It's systematic. It works.
The GTM Framework
Here's the exact playbook:
1. Choose Your Beachhead Market
You can't serve everyone. Pick one specific market segment. B2B SaaS founders. E-commerce brands. Agencies. Pick one and dominate it.
2. Define Your Positioning
How are you different? Not "better." Different. What's the unique angle that makes your solution stand out?
3. Choose Your Primary Channel
Don't spread thin. Pick one channel: direct sales, content, partnerships, ads. Master it. Then add more.
4. Build Your Launch List
Before you launch, you should have 500+ people who want to hear about it. Email list, Twitter followers, Slack communities. Build it now.
5. Execute the Launch
Day 1: Email your list. Day 2-3: Product Hunt. Day 4-7: Content blitz. Day 8+: Sustained effort.
The Launch Sequence
Week 1: Pre-Launch
- Finalize positioning and messaging
- Prepare launch assets (landing page, email, graphics)
- Reach out to influencers and press
- Warm up your launch list
Week 2: Launch Week
- Day 1: Email launch announcement
- Day 2: Product Hunt launch
- Day 3-5: Content blitz (Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs)
- Day 6-7: Follow-up with warm leads
Week 3+: Post-Launch
- Nurture warm leads
- Gather feedback and iterate
- Plan next marketing push
- Optimize based on data
Channel Strategy for Early Stage
Direct Sales (Best for B2B)
Reach out to 50 people in your beachhead market. Have conversations. Close 10-20%. That's your first customers.
Content Marketing (Best for B2C/SaaS)
Write about the problem you solve. Rank for keywords. Get organic traffic. Convert 1-3% to customers.
Partnerships (Best for Speed)
Find complementary products. Cross-promote. Get access to their audience.
Paid Ads (Last Resort)
Only run ads once you have a proven conversion funnel. Otherwise you're just burning money.
Metrics to Track
- Signups
- Trial conversions
- Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
- Churn rate
- Net revenue retention
The Bottom Line
GTM isn't complicated. Pick a market. Pick a channel. Execute consistently. Measure everything. Iterate based on data.
Your first 100 customers come from focused effort, not luck.