Here’s the thing about finding your first SaaS customers:
Cold outreach is hard. Paid ads are expensive. Content marketing takes forever to pay off.
But you know what works really well? Leveraging the connections you already have and finding communities where your ideal customers are already hanging out.
The best part? This approach costs almost nothing except your time. And when done right, it builds genuine relationships that turn into long-term customers and referrals.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to find your first 10-50 SaaS customers using your existing network and online communities. Plus, I’ll give you the exact scripts and templates that work (without making you look like a spammer).
Let’s dive in.
Why Your Network and Communities Are Golden for Early SaaS Sales
Before we get into the tactics, let me explain why this approach works so well for early-stage SaaS companies.
Trust is everything when you’re selling an unproven product. People in your network already know and trust you. Community members can see your expertise and helpfulness over time. That trust bridges the gap between “I’ve never heard of this tool” and “I’m willing to try it.”
You get real feedback, not just sales. When someone from your network tries your product, they’ll give you honest feedback because they want you to succeed. Community members who engage with you become invested in your journey. This feedback is pure gold for product development.
The sales cycle is shorter. Instead of 47 touchpoints to close a deal, you might need 3-5 conversations. People who already trust you make decisions faster.
Word-of-mouth happens naturally. Happy customers who know you personally are way more likely to recommend your product to their colleagues. And community members love sharing discoveries with their peers.
Now let’s get into how to actually do this.
Part 1: Mining Your Existing Network
- Map personal connections
- List professional contacts
- Identify extended network
- Export LinkedIn connections
- Categorize by industry
- Tier 1: Close + Industry
- Tier 2: Close + Different
- Tier 3: Industry + Distant
- Start with highest tier
- Track response rates
- Personalized subject lines
- Reference shared history
- Lead with value, not pitch
- Keep messages short
- Clear call-to-action
- Week 1: Gentle bump
- Week 3: Different angle
- Month 2: Final attempt
- Quarter: Stay-in-touch
- Track all interactions
Your network is bigger than you think. And I’m not just talking about your LinkedIn connections.
Step 1: Do a Complete Network Audit
Start by making a comprehensive list of everyone who might know someone in your target market. Here’s how to do it systematically:
Personal connections:
- Former colleagues from every job you’ve had
- College and high school classmates
- Friends and family members (don’t dismiss this – they might work in your target industry)
- Neighbors, gym buddies, and social acquaintances
- People you’ve met at conferences or events
Professional network:
- LinkedIn connections (obviously)
- People you’ve worked with on projects or freelance gigs
- Industry contacts from previous roles
- Conference speakers you’ve met
- People who follow you on social media
Extended network:
- Your advisors and mentors
- Your investors (if you have any)
- Your lawyer, accountant, and other service providers
- Alumni networks from schools or programs you’ve attended
- Professional associations you belong to
Pro tip: Use LinkedIn’s export feature to download all your connections into a spreadsheet. Then add columns for industry, company size, and how well you know them. This makes it easier to prioritize who to reach out to first.
Step 2: Create Your Outreach Strategy
Not all network connections are created equal. Here’s how to prioritize:
Tier 1: People who know you well and work in your target industry These are your best bets. They already trust you and understand the problems you’re solving.
Tier 2: People who know you well but work in different industries They might not be customers themselves, but they could make warm introductions.
Tier 3: Industry contacts you don’t know as well Approach these carefully with more context about who you are and what you’re building.
Step 3: The Network Outreach Templates That Actually Work
Here are the exact templates I recommend for each tier:
Tier 1 Template (close connections in target industry):
Subject: Quick favor – would love your thoughts on something I’m building
Hi [Name],
Hope you’re doing well! I wanted to reach out because I know you deal with [specific problem] at [Company].
I’ve been building a tool that helps [target customer] [achieve specific outcome]. Since you know this space so well, I’d love to get your thoughts on whether this is something that would actually be useful.
Would you be up for a quick 15-minute call this week? I promise I’m not trying to sell you anything – just genuinely curious about your perspective as someone who deals with this every day.
Let me know what works for your schedule.
Best, [Your name]
Tier 2 Template (close connections, different industry):
Subject: Remember when you mentioned [problem] at [Company]?
Hey [Name],
I was thinking about our conversation where you mentioned how [Company] struggles with [problem]. I’ve actually been working on something that might help with exactly that.
I’m building [brief description] for [target customer type]. Do you think [their name/role] at [Company] might be interested in taking a look?
No pressure at all – just thought it might be helpful for them (and you know I’d return the favor anytime).
Thanks! [Your name]
Tier 3 Template (industry contacts, more formal):
Subject: [Mutual connection] suggested I reach out
Hi [Name],
[Mutual connection] mentioned you might be a good person to talk to about [specific problem area]. I’m [brief intro about yourself] and I’ve been working on a solution for [target customer] who are struggling with [problem].
I’m not trying to sell you anything – just looking to validate whether this is a real problem worth solving. Would you be open to a brief conversation about your experience with [problem area]?
Happy to work around your schedule.
Best regards, [Your name]
Step 4: Follow Up Like a Pro
Most people won’t respond to your first message. That’s normal. Here’s how to follow up without being annoying:
Follow-up #1 (1 week later): “Hey [Name], just wanted to bump this up in your inbox. I know you’re busy, but would love to get your thoughts when you have a moment.”
Follow-up #2 (2 weeks after that): “Hi [Name], I know I’ve reached out a couple times about [project]. No worries if you’re not available to chat – just didn’t want this to get lost in your inbox. Let me know if there’s a better way to connect or if now isn’t a good time.”
Follow-up #3 (1 month later, different angle): Share an update about your progress or a relevant piece of content: “Thought you might find this interesting – we just helped [similar company] reduce their [problem] by 40%. Hope things are going well at [their company]!”
The key is to space out your follow-ups and always provide value or context, not just “checking in.”
Part 2: Finding Online Communities
Your ideal customers are already gathered in online communities, discussing their problems and sharing solutions. Your job is to find these communities and become a helpful member.
Step 1: Identify Where Your Customers Hang Out
Start by thinking about what your ideal customer does when they have a problem:
- Do they Google it and end up on Reddit?
- Do they ask questions in Slack communities?
- Do they post on LinkedIn?
- Do they join Facebook groups?
Here’s how to find the right communities systematically:
Reddit research: Search for subreddits related to:
- Your target industry (r/marketing, r/sales, r/startups)
- Specific roles (r/ProjectManagement, r/humanresources)
- Problems you solve (r/productivity, r/remotework)
Look for active communities with 10,000+ members where people regularly ask questions and share challenges.
Facebook Groups: Search Facebook for groups related to:
- “[Industry] Professionals”
- “[Role] Network”
- “[Problem] Solutions”
- “[Tool/Platform] Users”
Join groups with active daily posts and engaged moderators.
Slack Communities: Many industries have popular Slack communities:
- Marketing: CMX Community, Marketing Pros
- Sales: Sales Hacker, Revenue Collective
- Startups: Startup Study Group, Product Hunt Ship
- Design: Designer Hangout, Mixed Methods
LinkedIn Groups: While less active than they used to be, some LinkedIn groups still have engaged members discussing industry challenges.
Discord Servers: Particularly popular for:
- Developer communities
- Creative industries
- Gaming and entertainment
- Crypto and fintech
Specialized Forums: Many industries have dedicated forums:
- Indie Hackers for entrepreneurs
- Designer News for designers
- Growth Hackers for marketers
- Stack Overflow for developers
Step 2: Research Before You Join
Before requesting to join any community, do your homework:
Check the rules: Every community has posting guidelines. Read them carefully to avoid getting banned for self-promotion.
Observe the culture: Spend time lurking to understand how people communicate, what kind of content gets upvoted, and what the community values.
Identify active members: Notice who consistently provides helpful answers and gets engagement. These are the people you want to connect with.
Look for opportunity: Are people frequently asking about problems you solve? Are existing solutions getting criticized? This tells you there’s demand in this community.
Step 3: Build Credibility Before You Pitch
This is where most people screw up. They join a community and immediately start promoting their product. Don’t do this.
Instead, focus on becoming a valued community member first:
Week 1-2: Pure value mode
- Answer questions related to your expertise
- Share helpful resources (not your own)
- Comment thoughtfully on others’ posts
- Ask good questions that generate discussion
Week 3-4: Establish expertise
- Share case studies from your experience (without mentioning your product)
- Write detailed, helpful responses to complex questions
- Start conversations about industry trends
- Offer free advice or mini-consultations
Month 2+: Strategic mentions Once you’ve established credibility, you can start mentioning your product when it’s genuinely relevant:
- “I actually built a tool to solve this exact problem…”
- “This is why I started working on [product]…”
- “Happy to share what we learned building [solution]…”
Step 4: The Community Engagement Playbook
Here are specific tactics that work well in different types of communities:
Reddit Strategy:
- Sort by “New” to find questions you can answer before they blow up
- Use the search function to find recurring problems in your niche
- Create valuable posts that genuinely help people (tutorials, guides, analyses)
- Build karma in your target subreddits before mentioning your product
Facebook Group Strategy:
- Engage with pinned posts and community announcements first
- Share wins and lessons learned from your industry experience
- Ask for advice on challenges you’re facing (builds relationships)
- Offer to do free mini-consultations or reviews
Slack Community Strategy:
- Jump into conversations where you can add value
- Use threading to avoid cluttering main channels
- Share relevant articles and resources
- Offer to connect people with similar challenges
LinkedIn Group Strategy:
- Comment meaningfully on posts before posting your own content
- Share industry insights and predictions
- Ask thoughtful questions that generate discussion
- Connect with active members outside the group
Part 3: Outreach Best Practices
Whether you’re reaching out to network connections or community members, these principles will help you avoid the spam folder and build real relationships.
The Golden Rule: Lead with Value, Not Your Pitch
People can smell a sales pitch from a mile away. Instead of leading with what you want, lead with what you can give.
Instead of: “I’d love to show you our new project management tool.”
Try: “I noticed you mentioned struggling with team coordination. I just wrote a guide on the 5 biggest workflow mistakes I see companies make – thought it might be helpful.”
Instead of: “Are you interested in trying our marketing automation software?”
Try: “Saw your post about email deliverability issues. I’ve helped a few companies solve similar problems – happy to share what worked if you’re interested.”
Reference Specific Pain Points
Generic outreach messages get deleted. Specific, relevant messages get responses.
Generic: “I have a tool that helps businesses be more efficient.”
Specific: “I saw your tweet about spending 2 hours every week manually pulling data from different tools into spreadsheets. That’s exactly the problem I’ve been working on solving.”
Generic: “Our platform helps with customer support.”
Specific: “In your recent blog post, you mentioned that 30% of your support tickets are people asking for feature updates. I built something that might help reduce those tickets.”
Keep It Conversational and Human
Write like you’re talking to a friend, not sending a corporate email.
Too formal: “I would be delighted to schedule a brief telecommunication to discuss how our solution might benefit your organization.”
Just right: “Would you be up for a quick call this week? I’d love to get your thoughts on something I’m working on.”
Too robotic: “Our platform leverages cutting-edge technology to optimize workflow efficiency across multiple verticals.”
Just right: “I built a tool that helps teams stop wasting time on repetitive tasks.”
Ask for Advice, Not Sales
People love giving advice. They hate being sold to.
Sales-y approach: “Can I show you a demo of our product?”
Advice approach: “I’m building something for [target customer] and would love your perspective on whether this is a real problem worth solving.”
Sales-y approach: “Would you like to try our free trial?”
Advice approach: “You obviously know this space well – do you think there’s room for a simpler solution to [problem]?”
Follow Up Consistently But Not Aggressively
Most deals happen after multiple touchpoints, but most people give up after one “no” or no response.
The follow-up formula:
- Initial outreach
- Value-add follow-up (1 week later)
- Different angle follow-up (2 weeks later)
- Final follow-up (1 month later)
- Long-term relationship building (quarterly updates)
Each follow-up should provide new value or a different perspective, not just repeat your initial ask.
Part 4: Converting to Customers
Great outreach gets you conversations. But conversations don’t pay the bills – customers do. Here’s how to bridge that gap.
The Discovery Call Framework
When someone agrees to chat, use this structure to maximize your chances of turning them into a customer:
Opening (2-3 minutes):
- Thank them for their time
- Briefly recap how you connected
- Set expectations: “I’m hoping to learn more about [problem area] and get your thoughts on something I’m building”
Discovery (15-20 minutes):
- Ask about their current process for [relevant task]
- What tools do they currently use?
- What’s working well? What’s frustrating?
- How much time/money does the current solution cost?
- Who else is involved in solving this problem?
Solution (5-7 minutes):
- Based on what they shared, explain how your tool helps
- Focus on the specific benefits that address their pain points
- Share a brief story about how it helped someone similar
Next Steps (2-3 minutes):
- If they seem interested: “Would you like to try it out and see if it works for your situation?”
- If they’re hesitant: “What would need to be true for you to consider switching from your current solution?”
- Always end with a clear next step
Handling Common Objections
“We’re happy with our current solution” “That’s great to hear! What do you like most about [current tool]? I’m always curious to learn what’s working well for people.”
Then listen and find gaps: “It sounds like [current tool] handles X and Y really well. How do you handle Z when it comes up?”
“We don’t have budget right now” “I totally understand – budget planning can be tricky. When you do evaluate new tools, what’s usually the approval process? Just want to understand how decisions like this typically get made.”
“I need to think about it” “Of course! What specific questions or concerns do you want to think through? Maybe I can help address those now.”
“I need to check with my team” “That makes sense. Who else would be involved in evaluating something like this? Would it be helpful if I put together some information for you to share with them?”
The Soft Close That Works
Instead of pushing for an immediate decision, make it easy for them to take the next step:
“Based on what you’ve told me, it sounds like [your tool] could help with [specific problem they mentioned]. The easiest way to see if it’s a good fit is to try it with your actual data.
Would you be open to a quick trial? I can set you up personally and we can see if it actually saves you time. If it doesn’t work for your situation, no hard feelings – at least we’ll both know.”
This approach works because:
- It’s low pressure
- It focuses on solving their problem, not selling your product
- It acknowledges that your solution might not be right for them
- It offers personal support to reduce risk
Part 5: Tracking Your Network & Community Efforts
What gets measured gets improved. Here’s how to track your networking and community efforts so you can double down on what works.
Essential Metrics to Track
Network outreach:
- Response rate by relationship tier (Tier 1, 2, 3)
- Meeting conversion rate (responses that turn into calls)
- Customer conversion rate (calls that turn into trials/customers)
- Time from first contact to customer
Community engagement:
- Communities joined vs. communities where you’re active
- Engagement rate (comments/reactions on your posts)
- Direct messages or connections from community activity
- Customers acquired per community
Overall pipeline:
- Total prospects identified per week
- Conversations scheduled per week
- Trials started from network/community outreach
- Customers closed from this channel
Simple Tracking Setup
You don’t need fancy tools to start. A simple spreadsheet with these columns works great:
For network outreach:
- Name
- Company
- Relationship tier
- Contact method
- Date contacted
- Response received (Y/N)
- Meeting scheduled (Y/N)
- Status (Prospect/Trial/Customer/Not interested)
For community engagement:
- Community name
- Platform
- Members count
- Activity level (High/Medium/Low)
- Your status (Lurker/Occasional contributor/Active member)
- Prospects identified
- Customers acquired
Tools That Can Help
As you scale up, these tools can make tracking easier:
CRM systems:
- HubSpot (free tier works great for early stage)
- Pipedrive (simple and affordable)
- Airtable (flexible database approach)
Community management:
- Buffer or Hootsuite for scheduling social posts
- Notion for organizing community research
- Google Alerts for monitoring mentions of problems you solve
Outreach tracking:
- Mixmax or Boomerang for email tracking
- Calendly for easy meeting scheduling
- Loom for quick video introductions
Remember: tools don’t make you successful, but they can help you be more organized as you scale.
Advanced Strategies That Work
Once you’ve got the basics down, here are some advanced tactics to accelerate your results:
The Content Seeding Strategy
Instead of just answering questions in communities, create valuable content and seed it strategically:
- Write a detailed guide solving a common problem in your niche
- Post it on your blog or Medium
- Share it in relevant communities where people frequently ask about this problem
- Follow up with people who engage to continue the conversation
This positions you as an expert and creates a natural bridge to discussing your solution.
The Expert Interview Approach
Reach out to potential customers for “interviews” instead of sales calls:
“I’m researching how [target customer] currently handle [problem area] and I’d love to get your perspective. Would you be open to a brief call to share your experience? I’m happy to share the final research with everyone who participates.”
This gets you meetings with people who might otherwise ignore a sales pitch. Plus, you get valuable market research.
The Partnership Bridge
Look for complementary tools or services that your customers already use:
- Build relationships with founders/employees at these companies
- Find ways to integrate or partner
- Get introductions to mutual customers
- Create co-marketing opportunities
Your network connections can help facilitate these partnerships.
The Advisory Strategy
Offer to advise or mentor people in your network in exchange for introductions:
“I’d be happy to review your marketing strategy in exchange for introductions to a few portfolio companies that might benefit from what I’m building.”
This creates genuine value while building your pipeline.
Putting It All Together: Your 30-Day Action Plan
Here’s exactly what to do over the next 30 days to start getting customers from your network and communities:
Week 1: Research and Setup
- Complete your network audit (50+ people minimum)
- Research and join 5-10 relevant communities
- Set up your tracking system
- Write your outreach templates
Week 2: Initial Outreach
- Reach out to 10 Tier 1 network connections
- Start engaging in 3-5 communities (pure value mode)
- Schedule meetings with anyone who responds positively
- Begin building relationships with community moderators/active members
Week 3: Scale and Optimize
- Reach out to 15 Tier 2 network connections
- Start providing expert advice in communities
- Conduct discovery calls with interested prospects
- Follow up with Week 1 outreach (non-responders)
Week 4: Convert and Expand
- Reach out to 10 Tier 3 network connections
- Begin strategic mentions of your product in communities (where appropriate)
- Focus on converting warm prospects to trials/customers
- Plan your approach for Month 2 based on what’s working
Month 2 and Beyond:
- Double down on the communities and outreach methods that are working
- Start asking happy customers for referrals
- Create content based on common questions you’re seeing
- Build systems to scale your successful tactics
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learn from these mistakes so you don’t have to make them yourself:
Mistake #1: Being too salesy, too soon Solution: Spend at least 2 weeks building credibility before mentioning your product anywhere.
Mistake #2: Joining too many communities
Solution: Better to be active in 3-5 communities than inactive in 20.
Mistake #3: Generic outreach messages Solution: Reference something specific about their business, recent post, or industry challenge.
Mistake #4: Giving up after one follow-up Solution: Follow up at least 3 times with different angles/value.
Mistake #5: Not tracking what’s working Solution: Set up simple tracking from day one so you can optimize.
Mistake #6: Focusing only on direct customers Solution: Also build relationships with people who can refer customers.
Mistake #7: Neglecting relationship maintenance Solution: Keep in touch with your network even when you’re not actively selling.
Your Network and Communities Are Your Competitive Advantage
Here’s what I want you to remember:
Big companies with unlimited marketing budgets can outspend you on ads. They can hire better designers for their websites. They can afford expensive tools and agencies.
But they can’t replicate the personal relationships you have with your network. They can’t fake the genuine expertise you demonstrate in communities over time. They can’t match the trust you build by being helpful and human.
Your network and the communities where you’re active are your sustainable competitive advantages. The relationships you build today will pay dividends for years to come.
So start today. Send one message to someone in your network. Join one community where your customers hang out. Answer one question. Make one connection.
Your first 10 customers are out there, waiting to discover the solution you’ve built. Your job is to find them, help them, and show them how you can make their lives better.
The conversations you start this week could become the customers who fund your growth next month.
Ready to get started? Pick one person from your network and send them a message right now. I’ll wait.
Your future customers are waiting.