Don't fear outreach; it's essential for gaining initial traction before relying on inbound leads as your product gains recognition.

To get your first customers, infiltrate communities where your target audience discusses products and services, and leverage personal relationships with bloggers and influencers.

Successful startups often start with non-scalable methods to acquire their first customers before moving to scalable growth channels.

When working with early-stage startups, the focus is often on how to get the product in front of people, as there are no silver bullets in this process. You need to try various strategies like content marketing, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, events, webinars, partnerships, and even street teams to find what works best.

The first customers for Flexport signed up through Google Adwords and SEO, even before we officially launched the service.

Successful founders remember the names and stories of their first customers, emphasizing the importance of personal connections over impersonal marketing tactics.

The initial sales motion for many successful startups often involves sending personalized outreach emails to potential customers.

In startup customer acquisition, the idea that 'if you build it, they will come' is often false; you need to actively find your audience.

Getting the first customer is one of the hardest challenges for founders, and it requires a different approach than what investors might suggest.