Get your first 10 customers

Talk to 20 people before marketing to anyone. Find potential users through your personal network, LinkedIn, and Nigerian startup WhatsApp groups. Run 20-minute problem discovery calls using a Tally form to capture insights.

Build in public. Share your building journey on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. Nigerian tech Twitter (Techtwitter) is genuinely supportive of founders sharing progress. Post weekly updates with real numbers.

Send 50 cold DMs — not emails. Direct messages on Twitter/X and LinkedIn to people who match your ideal customer profile. Be specific about the problem you solve for them. Personalise every message.

List on relevant Nigerian and African directories. TechCabal's African startup database, Disrupt Africa, and Product Hunt are good starting points. African tech journalists respond well to founder pitches with local context.

Set up email marketing with Brevo. Every person you talk to goes onto your list. Send weekly updates on your progress. This builds trust before you ask anyone to pay.

Create a referral incentive. Give your first 5 users a reason to tell 3 friends. A discount, early access to new features, or a simple thank-you call works better than you think at this stage.

Host or attend a community event. Luma makes it easy to host a free online event around the problem your product solves. One good event can generate 20+ qualified leads.

Convert interest into paying customers. Use a direct Paystack payment link or Flutterwave payment page to collect the first payment. Do not build a checkout flow until you have at least 10 paying customers.