INTEL 🧠

TFG Hall of Fame 🏆

It’s been over a month since the season finale aired. As tradition goes, now is the time to present our Hall of Fame 🥁

🥇 The most-watched episode of the season: #8 'The Phase-Out [Group C]

🥇 The most viral IG Reel of the season: The 'congratulate' moment featuring Angelina from BioHide.

founder_games

View more on Instagram

🥇 The winning TikTok: 'The Art of Talking Slowly,' featuring Petar & Dinev.

@thefoundergames

The art of talking slowly explained by Petar 🗒️@Aleksandar Dinev Watch episode 6 now on our YouTube channel!

🥇 The most-liked photo on IG: The big moment of announcing the winners

That’s all for now, folks!

We’ve got some big numbers to beat in the upcoming season, so stay alert 👀

In the meantime, you can always 👇

LEVEL UP ⬆️

10 low-key strategies to get your first 100 customers

You and your team have poured countless hours into developing your product.

You've nailed the message, perfected the visuals, and launched a stunning landing page.

But no one's noticing.

To capture and convert your first 100 users, you need to get out there and make it happen.

Here’s how.

1. Leverage your networks 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

The first and probably easiest step is to reach out to your closest circle—family, friends, and coworkers. Ask for initial feedback and try to understand more about the problem you’re solving. If some of them fit your target market, they’ll be glad to use your product. If not, don’t worry; your ideal users are out there somewhere.

Brain candy 🍬 "Collison installation" is a technique by Stripe founders Patrick and John Collison for quickly onboarding new users. Instead of sending a sign-up link, they install Stripe directly on the user's laptop. This hands-on approach boosts engagement and provides real-time feedback on user experience.

2. Be active on social media 🟢

Focus on the platforms where your ideal audience hangs out. Share valuable content related to your product to spark interest and drive awareness, all while building your personal brand.

Consider using Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and online communities like Reddit, Facebook, and Quora. These are great places to connect with potential leads and engage with those who might become early adopters of your product.

3. Join events and meetups 🎫

Attend industry-specific conferences, meetups, and pitch competitions where you can showcase your product, gain exposure, and network with others in your field.

4. Implement incentives ⭐

Introduce a referral program to encourage your first users to invite friends by offering discounts or rewards. Make your early adopters feel special by providing exclusive features or early access to new updates.

5. Maximize content marketing ✍🏻

Create blog posts that address the pain points your product solves. Additionally, contribute guest posts to popular blogs and publications in your industry to reach a wider audience.

6. Initiaite email marketing ✉️

Start collecting emails through your website or landing page to build a list as early as possible. Then, send personalized emails to these leads to promote your product and keep them informed about future updates, news, perks, and other relevant information.

7. List your product 🗳️

Leverage platforms like Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, or BetaList to submit and launch your product. This will help you tap into a global community of tech enthusiasts.

8. Pursue partnerships 🤝

Create a list of influencers in your niche who can promote your product or service. Additionally, consider partnering with complementary businesses to cross-promote and reach each other’s audiences.

9. Run ads 🎯

Set up campaigns on social media or search engines where your target audience is active. Showcase your product as a solution to their problems, build social proof, and continuously iterate based on performance.

10. Cold outreach 🧊

Use this strategy to send personalized cold emails at scale to explain the benefits of your product to potential users. When appropriate, consider making direct phone calls to businesses or individuals as well.

All these tactics should not be seen as isolated steps. They often work together and may not yield fast results. It takes time, effort, and patience to determine what works and what doesn’t when finding your first 100 customers.

Once you nail down the best message, the most effective channel, and the most profitable tactic, it will become easier from there.

In the startup world, it’s often said to focus on things that don’t scale. While these activities may not be scalable in the long term, they provide valuable insights, build strong customer relationships, and lay a solid foundation for your startup’s growth.

Have you tried any of these tactics? What’s your recipe for landing your first customers? Reply to this email, and we’ll feature your advice to fellow startup founders in the next edition.

More advice to land your first X customers? Check out these videos 👇

STARTUP NEWS RADAR 📡

_{What’s happening these days?}

• Y Combinator is now accepting applications for the Fall 2024 Batch, which will take place from September to December in San Francisco. Read more details and apply by August 27. [source]

• Calling all womenpreneurs 🦸 Apply for the UN Women Entrepreneurship Expo 2024/2025, taking place this November. The deadline is August 31. [source]

• Get your early bird tickets for Sifted Summit, Europe's largest startup event, happening this October in London. Join over 3,000 startup founders, operators, and investors from across Europe. [source]

• Aqtos early access is now live 🎉The business OS for the future of work is now open for early access. Teams and SMBs can boost productivity and manage work in one central app. [source]

THE STARTUP VAULT 🗃️

_{Founders take note:}

• Canvas lets you fully understand all of your startup’s data.

• Use Pixverse to create stunning videos with AI.

• Eve is your AI partner in managing work-related stress.

• What is the difference between startup founders & CEOs?

• From software engineering to a successful wellness startup- a podcast by HalkBank AD Skopje with Josif Damjanov. 🎧

• Doing TikToks for your business? Get this handbook by TikTok on how to make a lasting impact on your viewers.

*Working on something that fits this category? Reply to this email to be featured.

Hey ChatGPT 🤖

Create a list of 10 low-cost business ideas that can be started with minimal investment.

Guess the term of the week 🕵

__________________________ is an organization that helps startups grow by providing office space, support services, and networking opportunities.

reply to this email for a hint and/or send us your best answer.

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