From MVP to First Revenue: A Tactical Playbook

You've built something. It works. Now you need people to pay for it.

This is the gap where most indie founders get stuck. Not because their product is bad, but because the skills that got you here won't get you there.

The Revenue Readiness Checklist

Before you start selling, make sure you have:

One clear use case — You can explain who it's for and what problem it solves in one sentence
A working demo — Prospects can see the value without heavy explanation
Basic onboarding — New users can get started without your help
A way to charge — Stripe, Paddle, or similar is integrated and tested

If you're missing any of these, address them first. Selling a half-ready product creates support burden that kills momentum.

Finding Your First 10 Customers

Forget about scale. Your only job right now is finding 10 people who will pay.

Start with Warm Outreach

Your first customers aren't strangers. They're:

People who already follow your build journey
Connections in communities where you're active
Friends-of-friends who fit your target profile

The script that works:

"Hey [Name], I built [product] to help [target audience] with [specific problem]. I'm looking for 10 early users to shape the product. Would you be open to a 15-minute call to see if it's a fit?"

Notice what's NOT in this message: pricing, features, or asks for commitment. You're just starting a conversation.

Go Where Your Customers Already Are

If you're building for developers, you're in developer communities. Designers? Design communities.

But here's the key: contribute before you pitch.

Spend 2-3 weeks being genuinely helpful. Answer questions. Share insights. Build reputation. Then, when appropriate, mention what you're building.

The best sales don't feel like sales. They feel like solving a problem for someone who needs it solved.

Use the "Dream 100" Approach

Make a list of 100 ideal customers. Not companies — actual humans you can reach.

Then systematically work through that list:

Connect on Twitter/LinkedIn
Engage with their content
Provide value (feedback, introductions, resources)
Eventually share what you're building

This takes time, but converts at 10x the rate of cold outreach.

Pricing Your First Offering

The biggest mistake? Pricing too low.

Early customers are usually:

Less price sensitive
More willing to pay for access and influence
Happy to support something they believe in

The "Founding Member" Strategy

Offer early access at a premium with extra benefits:

Direct access to you (Slack channel, calls)
Influence over the roadmap
Locked-in pricing as you scale

Many successful products launched at $50-100/month for founding members, then dropped pricing for the mass market later.

Converting Trials to Paid

If you're offering a free trial or freemium tier, focus on:

Time to Value

How quickly can someone experience the core benefit? Compress this ruthlessly.

Upgrade Triggers

What action signals someone is getting value? Make the upgrade offer appear at that moment.

Personal Follow-up

For your first 50 trial users, reach out personally:

"Hey, I noticed you [did specific action]. How's it going? Any feedback or questions?"

This builds relationships and surfaces objections you can address.

Tracking Progress

At this stage, complex analytics are a distraction. Track three things:

Conversations started — Are you having enough sales conversations?
Conversion rate — What percentage become customers?
Revenue — Total MRR/ARR

Review weekly. Adjust based on what the numbers tell you.

The Mindset Shift

Going from building to selling requires a different brain.

Builder brain: "What features should I add?" Seller brain: "What conversations should I start?"

You need both, but right now, selling needs to win.

Struggling to make this transition? A cohort of founders at the same stage can help. Find your circle