Treat distribution as a feedback mechanism early, not a scale mechanism
Early distribution efforts should focus on learning what resonates and who your customers are, not maximizing reach
When to use
Pre-PMF when you have fewer than 100 users; when prioritizing learning over growth
Don't do this
Optimizing for scale before understanding what works and for whom
10 Founders Who Did This
adrmonlj commented: 'At this stage, distribution is really just a way to earn feedback, not scale. Every sharp critique reveals where the product breaks, what it's actually good for, and who it's not for.'
At early stage, distribution is a feedback mechanism, not a scale mechanism
Test go-to-market across channels to discover what people respond to
Let launch publicity self-select enthusiastic early adopters rather than chasing everyone
Pre-launch audience building through personal brand creates sustainable launch momentum
Let launch publicity filter out to people willing to email saying they love change and risk
Posted daily TikTok videos to learn what content resonates - warmed up account by consuming niche content, experimented with different formats until one went viral
Used Reddit for first 100 customers and real product feedback, not as scale channel
Organized five-person teams where engineers cold-email prospects and have customer conversations, PMs think about pricing - everyone focuses on go-to-market
Shared all progress and revenue publicly on Twitter build-in-public community