phase 3 · act

Playbook library

Go deeper

Twenty-two distribution playbooks, written out message by message: what to send, on which day, to whom, and when to stop. Fill in the {placeholders} with your product, your buyer and their pain.

22 playbooks · 67 ready-to-send messages · 7 core buying moments · 121 post templates

Find — who's ready this week
Reach — pick one playbook
Send — follow the sequence
Measure — what paid, weekly. Every week, run more of what paid.

where are you, what do you need

Pick your stage or goal. Start with the playbooks that fit it.

Each one lists three plays to start with and more that raise your odds once those are running. Running everything at once is how founders end up with lots of activity and no result, so add one play at a time, after the last one has a readout.

Building a waitlist

Not open yet. You want emails.

Start with: Waitlist countdown, Community answers, Build-in-public streak

Name one pain at a time, in public, and give people a place to raise their hand. Listening in communities tells you which pain to name.

Then add, one at a time: Replies to bigger accounts, Video check-ins, Directory listings, Founder swap

Goal metric: waitlist signups

Looking for beta testers

Something works. You need people using it.

Start with: Beta tester recruiting, Founder-led outbound, Community answers

A few testers you set up yourself teach you more than a hundred signups. Pick people with the pain right now, and watch where they get stuck.

Then add, one at a time: Build-in-public streak, Video check-ins, Activation nudge, Founder swap

Goal metric: active testers

Launching soon

Launch is days or weeks away.

Start with: Launch week, Waitlist countdown, Weekly long-form

Build the audience you'll launch to. A launch to nobody is the most common way to get zero signups.

Then add, one at a time: Offer post, Build-in-public streak, Replies to bigger accounts, Directory listings, Founder swap

Goal metric: launch-week signups

Launched, nobody's paying

It's live, and revenue is $0.

Start with: Community answers, Founder-led outbound, Offer post

Go where your buyers already ask for help, and reply to the people showing a signal this week. This is where first customers come from.

Then add, one at a time: Launch week, Directory listings, Comparison pages, Get named by AI assistants, Replies to bigger accounts, Build-in-public streak

Goal metric: first payment

Live, but quiet online

Nobody's talking about it yet.

Start with: Build-in-public streak, Replies to bigger accounts, Video check-ins

Momentum is showing up in the same place, on a schedule, with something real each time. Borrow attention from accounts your buyers already follow while yours grows.

Then add, one at a time: Founder swap, Weekly long-form, Get named by AI assistants, Offer post, Launch week, Share a new customer

Goal metric: profile clicks and follows

Signups, but no payments

People try it and don't pay.

Start with: Activation nudge, Stalled-trial rescue, Bring back quiet signups

Your problem isn't reach. Fix the gap between signing up and paying before you bring in more people.

Then add, one at a time: Beta tester recruiting, Weekly long-form, Failed payment

Goal metric: trial-to-paid

A few customers, want more

Revenue exists. You want the next ten.

Start with: Share a new customer, Comparison pages, Powered-by badge

Turn the customers you have into proof and into a channel. Each one can bring the next.

Then add, one at a time: Get named by AI assistants, Founder swap, Win-back, Second product, Failed payment, Video check-ins

Goal metric: the next ten customers

run the playbook

Each playbook, step by step.

A playbook is one repeatable way to reach one kind of buyer. Each one below lists what it does; where it runs, how much of your time it takes, the one number that tells you it's working, and the buying moment it fits; then every message in order, with when it goes out, the channel, and whether you send it or it can be scheduled; and last, what you're offering and the result that tells you to stop.

You send means a person sends it, every time. Can be scheduled means it can be set up once and sent automatically.

Listen and reply

Community answers — Find the thread where someone asks the question your product answers, and give the best answer in it.
Founder-led outbound — Reply to the person who posted the pain this week, with one useful fix. Not a pitch.
Beta tester recruiting — Ask in public for a small number of specific people to try it free, set each one up yourself, and get their feedback on a call.
Replies to bigger accounts — Pick 10 to 20 accounts your buyers already follow and leave the most useful reply under their new posts within the first hour.

Your own channels

Offer post — One post on your own accounts, aimed at one group, at the hour that group is online, with the link in the first reply.
Weekly long-form — One long piece a week, built from the question your buyers asked most and what you shipped to answer it.
Video check-ins — Short videos on a fixed schedule: a weekly face-to-camera check-in, and an animated explainer of one idea your buyers keep asking about.
Share a new customer — When someone pays, post the story: where they found you and why they paid, in your words.
Launch week — A five-post arc around a Product Hunt, Show HN, Uneed or PeerPush launch, ending with the honest week-after numbers.
Waitlist countdown — Two weeks of short posts before you open, each naming one pain the product fixes, with the waitlist link in the reply.
Build-in-public streak — A short post every weekday from inside the work, and one weekly readout with real numbers, so people watch the product get built.

Customer lifecycle

Activation nudge — Email the new signup who hasn't done the first thing that predicts paying.
Stalled-trial rescue — Email the trial that never got going, naming the one step they skipped.
Bring back quiet signups — Email people who signed up and went quiet, with what's changed since.
Failed payment — When a card fails, say so plainly and make it easy to fix.
Win-back — Sixty days after a customer cancels, tell them the thing they left over is fixed.
Second product — Offer an existing customer the plan that covers their other product.

Be where they look

Directory listings — List your product on the directories and marketplaces your buyers already browse.
Comparison pages — The 'alternative to' and 'X vs Y' pages people search when they're about to switch.
Get named by AI assistants — Track which prompts your buyers type into AI assistants, then get onto the pages those assistants cite and publish answer-first pages they can quote.
Founder swap — Find a founder who sells to the same people with a product that doesn't compete, and introduce each other's products to your audiences.
Powered-by badge — A small badge on what your customers publish with your product, linking back to you.

Listen and reply · 3 steps

Community answers

Find the thread where someone asks the question your product answers, and give the best answer in it.

where: Reddit, Hacker News, X
your time: 30 min a day
watch this number: replies, then visits
works best when: taking stock; doing it by hand; tried it and it failed

day 0 · Answer in the thread — you send · Reddit · HN · X

{their situation in your words} is exactly where I was with {product}.

what worked: {specific step}, then {specific step}. took about {time}.

the thing I'd skip: {common wrong move}. it cost me {real cost}.

Answer fully. No link unless the community allows it and they ask.

day 2 · Follow up, only if they replied — you send · same thread

glad it helped. one more thing that matters at your stage: {detail specific to their numbers}.

I wrote up the full setup if you want it. happy to drop it here.

They engaged, so offer more. The link goes in only after a yes.

day 7 · Turn it into a post — can be scheduled · X, your account

{n} people asked me some version of "{question}" this week.

short answer: {answer}.

the longer version, with the exact setup, is in the reply.

Generalize it. Never name or quote anyone without their permission.

The offer: The answer itself. The product only if they ask.

When to stop: 10 answers and 0 visits: change where you're looking, not the wording.

Listen and reply · 3 steps

Founder-led outbound

Reply to the person who posted the pain this week, with one useful fix. Not a pitch.

where: X, email
your time: 20 min a day
watch this number: reply rate, then signups
works best when: tried it and it failed; unhappy with their current tool; trying again

day 0 · Reply to the pain post — you send · X reply

saw this. {their result} after {their effort} is rough.

the thing that moved it for me: {one concrete change}. not a guarantee, but it's free to try.

Lead with help. Your product isn't in this message.

after a reply · Carry the conversation — you send · X DM or reply

happy to. the short version for {their product}:

1. {step tied to their situation}
2. {step}
3. {step}

I built {product} because step {k} kept eating my week. want me to show you on yours?

Only after they reply. Now the product can come up, once.

day 3 · One nudge, only if they engaged — you send · X DM
```
did {step} make a difference? curious what you saw.
```
One follow-up, ever. Silence means not now.

The offer: One specific fix for what they posted. A trial only after they ask.

When to stop: 30 sent and fewer than 3 replies: the signal or the opener is wrong.

Listen and reply · 4 steps

Beta tester recruiting

Ask in public for a small number of specific people to try it free, set each one up yourself, and get their feedback on a call.

where: X, Reddit, email
your time: 1 hour a day for a week
watch this number: testers who use it twice
works best when: doing it by hand; tried it and it failed

day 0 · The call-out — can be scheduled · X, or a subreddit that allows it

looking for {n} {who} to try {product} free while it's in beta.

it {core job}. you'd be a fit if {qualifying situation}.

what you get: free access, I set it up with you, and your feedback decides what I build next.

reply or DM if that's you.

Narrow beats broad. A specific 'you'd be a fit if' line gets better testers.

after a reply · Qualify and invite — you send · DM

thanks for raising your hand. quick check: are you {qualifying situation} right now?

if yes, here's your invite: {link}. want 15 minutes this week so I can set it up with you?

Set it up with them. Watching where they get stuck is the point.

day 3 · Feedback call — you send · call or DM

three questions:
1. what did you expect it to do that it didn't?
2. what would you use instead if it disappeared tomorrow?
3. who else do you know with {main pain}?

Question 3 is where the next testers come from.

day 10 · Ask for the quote — you send · DM
```
would you be ok with me quoting one line of what you said about {product}? happy to keep it anonymous.
```
Only quote what they said, with permission. These become launch-day proof.

The offer: Free access during the beta, and you set it up with them.

When to stop: 10 testers set up and none use it a second time: the pain isn't sharp enough yet. talk to them before building more.

Listen and reply · 3 steps

Replies to bigger accounts

Pick 10 to 20 accounts your buyers already follow and leave the most useful reply under their new posts within the first hour.

where: X
your time: 20 min a day
watch this number: profile clicks from replies
works best when

week 1 · Pick the accounts — can be scheduled · notes
```
10 to 20 accounts that {who} follow and read.

for each: what they post about, and what you know that they don't.
```
Mid-size accounts often beat the biggest: your reply doesn't get buried.
daily, first hour · Add one thing — you send · X reply
```
yes, and the part people skip: {nuance from your own experience}.

what I saw with {product}: {real result}.
```
Add something the post didn't have. Agreement alone gets scrolled past.
once · Fix your profile — can be scheduled · X bio
```
{core job} for {who}. building {product} in public.
```
The reply earns the click. The bio decides the follow.

The offer: None. Your profile does the selling.

When to stop: 3 weeks under 10 profile clicks a week: you picked the wrong accounts. swap them.

Your own channels · 4 steps

Offer post

One post on your own accounts, aimed at one group, at the hour that group is online, with the link in the first reply.

where: X, Instagram, TikTok
your time: 1 hour a week
watch this number: profile clicks, then visits
works best when: tried it and it failed; set up, but no results; taking stock

day 0 · The offer — can be scheduled · X, at your best hour

if you're {who} and {main pain} is eating your week, {product} {core job}.

{what they get in the first {time}}.

{price} after a {n}-day trial. link in the reply.

Post when your audience is most active, not when you finish writing.

2 min later · The link, as a reply — can be scheduled · X reply
```
{your tracked link}

not sure it fits? reply with your url and I'll tell you honestly.
```
The link lives here so the post keeps its reach.

day 3 · Proof post — can be scheduled · X

{customer type} started using {product} {timeframe} ago.

before: {measured before}
after: {measured after}

the first thing they did: {first action}.

Only with a real result you have permission to share. No result yet? Skip this step.

day 6 · Same offer, new channel — can be scheduled · Instagram or TikTok
```
{who}: {main pain}.

{product} {core job}. {proof point}.

link in bio.
```
Rewrite it for the channel. Same offer, different words.

The offer: One offer, stated plainly, for one group.

When to stop: 3 offer posts and 0 visits from them.

Your own channels · 5 steps

Weekly long-form

One long piece a week, built from the question your buyers asked most and what you shipped to answer it.

where: blog, X articles, newsletter
your time: 2 to 3 hours a week
watch this number: bookmarks, subscribers
works best when: taking stock; doing it by hand

mon · Pick the question — can be scheduled · notes

this week's question: "{most-asked question}"
asked {n} times in {where}.
what I shipped or learned that answers it: {feature or lesson}.

Pick from real questions people asked, not a content calendar.

wed · Publish the piece — can be scheduled · blog → X article

how {who} can {outcome} without {main pain}

1. the problem, in their words
2. what I tried, with numbers
3. the setup that worked
4. what still doesn't work

last line: {product} {core job}, if you'd rather not do step 3 by hand.

Keep the 'what still doesn't work' section. It's why people trust the rest.

thu · Pointer post — can be scheduled · X

wrote up how {outcome} works for {who}, with real numbers.

the step most people skip is {step}.

full piece in the reply.

Give one real point away in the post itself.

fri · Newsletter — can be scheduled · email

subject: {the question} (with numbers)

this week {n} people asked {question}. short answer below, the long one is linked.

{3-line summary}

reply and tell me what to cover next.

Replies tell you next week's topic.

sat · Cut it into a video — can be scheduled · TikTok, Reels, Shorts
```
60 seconds: the question, the one step most people skip, and what still doesn't work.

full piece linked in bio.
```
Optional. The Video check-ins playbook has the formats.

The offer: Your newsletter. The product, once, at the end.

When to stop: 4 weeks with no new subscribers: change the topic.

Your own channels · 4 steps

Video check-ins

Short videos on a fixed schedule: a weekly face-to-camera check-in, and an animated explainer of one idea your buyers keep asking about.

where: TikTok, Reels, Shorts, X
your time: 1 to 2 hours a week
watch this number: profile visits, then follows
works best when: taking stock

mon · Weekly check-in, on camera — you send · TikTok, Reels, X
```
week {n} of {product}.

shipped: {thing}.
the number: {metric}, {change}.
the thing that didn't work: {thing}.

next week: {plan}.
```
Under 60 seconds, phone on a stand, one take. Same day, same opening line, every week. The repeat is what people recognize.

wed · Explainer animation — can be scheduled · TikTok, Reels, Shorts

{n} seconds: why {common belief among who} is wrong.

scene 1: the belief, in their words.
scene 2: what actually happens, with one real number.
scene 3: what to do instead: {step}.

last frame: {product} {core job}.

Explain one idea per video. Diagrams and on-screen text beat stock footage; leave each line up long enough to read.

fri · Answer a comment — you send · TikTok or Reels reply video
```
someone asked: "{their question, paraphrased}".

short answer: {answer}.

what I'd do first: {step}.
```
Reply videos to real comments tell the algorithm and the viewer that people are listening.

monthly · Best of, as a post — can be scheduled · X

the {n} videos that got the most profile visits this month were all about {pattern}.

the ones that flopped: {pattern}.

making more of the first kind.

Pull it from your analytics. Profile visits, not views, tell you what to make next.

The offer: None in the video. Link in bio, once.

When to stop: 6 videos in one format and none past your account's usual views: switch format (face vs explainer) before you switch topic.

Your own channels · 2 steps

Share a new customer

When someone pays, post the story: where they found you and why they paid, in your words.

where: X
your time: 10 min
watch this number: profile clicks
works best when

when they pay · Ask one question — you send · email

thanks for subscribing to {product}. one quick question: how did you hear about it?

one line is plenty.

Wait for the answer before you post the 'why'.

next day · The post — you send · X, your best hour

first paying customer for {product}.

they found it through {channel}.
they paid because {reason they gave}.

{n} days after launch. {one honest line about how it felt}.

Use their reason, not yours.

The offer: None. The post is the proof.

When to stop: None. One post per milestone.

Your own channels · 5 steps

Launch week

A five-post arc around a Product Hunt, Show HN, Uneed or PeerPush launch, ending with the honest week-after numbers.

where: X, launch sites
your time: one week
watch this number: signups in launch week
works best when: trying again

3 days before · Warm up — can be scheduled · X

{product} goes live on {platform} on {day}.

it started when {the moment you hit the problem}.

it does one thing: {core job} for {who}. notify link in the reply.

launch · 12:01am PT · Go live — you send · X

{product} is live on {platform}.

it {core job} for {who}, without {main pain}.

link in the reply. a comment there saying what you'd use it for helps more than anything.

Product Hunt's day starts at 12:01am Pacific.

launch · midday · What you learned — can be scheduled · X

{n} hours in. the comment I didn't expect: {paraphrase}.

it made me rethink {assumption}.

day after · Results — can be scheduled · X

{product} finished #{rank} on {platform}.

visits: {n}
signups: {n}
paid: {n}

what drove signups: {channel}. what I'd skip next time: {thing}.

a week later · The week after — can be scheduled · X

one week after launch:
still using it: {n} of {n}
best feedback: {paraphrase}
biggest bug: {bug}

launch day decided nothing. this week decided whether it worked.

The number that matters is who's still there.

The offer: Your launch offer, if you have one, stated once.

When to stop: Ends on day 7. The quiet signups move to win-back emails.

Your own channels · 5 steps

Waitlist countdown

Two weeks of short posts before you open, each naming one pain the product fixes, with the waitlist link in the reply.

where: X, landing page, email
your time: 20 min a day for 2 weeks
watch this number: waitlist signups per post
works best when

day 1 · Say what's coming — can be scheduled · X

building {product} for {who}.

it {core job}, so {main pain} stops eating your week.

opening in {n} days. waitlist in the reply.

2 min later · The link, as a reply — can be scheduled · X reply
```
{your waitlist link}

reply with what you'd use it for and I'll make sure that works on day one.
```
Every reply here is a person to email on opening day.

days 2 to 13 · One pain a day — can be scheduled · X

{n} days until {product}.

problem {k} it fixes: {specific pain}.

last {timeframe} that cost me {real cost}.

waitlist in the reply.

One pain per post. Repeating the same one reads as an ad.

on signup · Confirm and ask — can be scheduled · email

subject: you're on the {product} list

thanks. one question so I build the right thing first: what's the most annoying part of {main pain} for you right now?

reply in one line.

The answers become your landing page copy.

day 14 · Open the doors — can be scheduled · email, then X
```
subject: {product} is open

you asked for {most common answer}. it's in.

{link}
```
Email the list before you post. They waited.

The offer: Early access, and a founding price if you have one.

When to stop: 7 posts and fewer than 5 signups: the pain you're naming isn't theirs. go back to community answers and listen first.

Your own channels · 3 steps

Build-in-public streak

A short post every weekday from inside the work, and one weekly readout with real numbers, so people watch the product get built.

where: X, Threads
your time: 15 min a day
watch this number: profile clicks, then follows
works best when: taking stock

mon to thu · Daily log — can be scheduled · X
```
shipped today: {thing}.

why: {reason a user gave}.

next: {next thing}.
```
Two or three lines. Showing up every day matters more than any single post.

fri · Weekly readout — can be scheduled · X

week {n} of {product}:

shipped: {thing}
learned: {thing}
number that moved: {metric}, {change}
number that didn't: {metric}

next week: {plan}

Include the number that didn't move. It's the line people trust.

when it happens · The bad day — can be scheduled · X

{what went wrong, in two lines}

what I'm changing: {one concrete change}.

posting it because the wins are only half of it.

Keep it factual. Once a month at most.

The offer: None in the daily posts. The weekly readout links the product, once.

When to stop: 4 weeks with no change in profile clicks: change what the daily posts are about, not how often you post.

Customer lifecycle · 2 steps

Activation nudge

Email the new signup who hasn't done the first thing that predicts paying.

where: email
your time: set up once
watch this number: activation rate
works best when: set up, but no results

24 hours in · The one thing — can be scheduled · email

subject: the one thing that makes {product} work

hey {first name},

people who {activation action} on day one are the ones who stick. it takes about {minutes} minutes.

here's exactly where to click: {link}

{your name}

Plain text, from you, one link.

day 3 · Show it done — can be scheduled · email

subject: what {activation action} looks like on a real account

{one real example, shared with permission}

if something got in the way, reply and tell me. I read every one.

Replies here are the best support tickets you'll get.

The offer: The one action, made easier.

When to stop: Stops the moment they activate.

Customer lifecycle · 3 steps

Stalled-trial rescue

Email the trial that never got going, naming the one step they skipped.

where: email
your time: set up once
watch this number: trial-to-paid
works best when: set up, but no results

trial day 2 · The skipped step — can be scheduled · email

subject: you're one step from {outcome}

you set up {what they did} but not {skipped step}. that's the part that does the work.

{link}

Naming what they did reads as noticed, not automated.

trial day 4 · Offer to do it — can be scheduled · email

subject: want me to set it up?

reply with your url and I'll set up {skipped step} for you myself. takes me about {minutes} minutes.

Make it a real offer you'll follow through on.

trial day 6 · Before it ends — can be scheduled · email

subject: your trial ends {day}

so far you've {measured usage}. if it hasn't earned {price} yet, don't pay for it. if it's close, reply and I'll add a week.

Honest beats urgent.

The offer: You set it up for them.

When to stop: Ends when the trial does.

Customer lifecycle · 2 steps

Bring back quiet signups

Email people who signed up and went quiet, with what's changed since.

where: email
your time: 1 hour
watch this number: people who come back
works best when: trying again

day 0 · What changed — can be scheduled · email

subject: {product} is different since you tried it

you signed up {timeframe} ago. since then:

- {change that fixes the most common reason people went quiet}
- {change}
- {change}

your account is still there: {link}

List real changes, newest first.

day 5 · One question — can be scheduled · email

subject: quick question

what made you stop using {product}? one word is fine. it goes straight into what I build next.

These answers are the most honest feedback you'll get.

The offer: What's new that fixes why they left.

When to stop: One email and one follow-up, then they leave the list.

Customer lifecycle · 3 steps

Failed payment

When a card fails, say so plainly and make it easy to fix.

where: email
your time: set up once
watch this number: revenue recovered
works best when

day 0 · Plain note — can be scheduled · email

subject: your card didn't go through

the payment for {product} failed, probably an expired card. you can update it here: {billing link}

nothing is lost in the meantime.

day 3 · Reminder — can be scheduled · email

subject: still need a card for {product}

your account is fine for now. {billing link}

day 7 · Last one — can be scheduled · email

subject: pausing your {product} account

I'll pause it today and keep everything as it is. update the card any time and it picks up where it left off: {billing link}

No threats, no countdown timers.

The offer: None.

When to stop: After day 7, pause the account.

Customer lifecycle · 1 steps

Win-back

Sixty days after a customer cancels, tell them the thing they left over is fixed.

where: email
your time: 30 min
watch this number: customers who return
works best when: unhappy with their current tool

60 days after · A reason to look again — can be scheduled · email

subject: you left because of {their stated reason}

that's fixed. {one line on what changed and when}.

if you want to try again, your old setup is still there: {link}. if not, this is the last you'll hear from me about it.

The offer: The fix for their stated reason.

When to stop: 20 sent and no replies: stop sending it.

Customer lifecycle · 1 steps

Second product

Offer an existing customer the plan that covers their other product.

where: email
your time: 15 min each
watch this number: expansion revenue
works best when: crossed a threshold

when you see it · The second product — you send · email

subject: {product} for {their other product}?

noticed you also run {their other product}. the {plan} plan covers it too for {price}, and setup takes about a minute.

want me to set it up? {link}

The offer: The plan that covers more than one product.

When to stop: One email.

Be where they look · 2 steps

Directory listings

List your product on the directories and marketplaces your buyers already browse.

where: launch sites, marketplaces
your time: 2 hours once
watch this number: visits from each listing
works best when

week 1 · Write the copy once — can be scheduled · notes

name: {product}
one-liner: {core job} for {who}
what it replaces: {main pain}
price: {price}
best for: {who}
not for: {who it isn't for}

The 'not for' line saves you from the wrong signups.

week 1 · Submit — you send · PeerPush, Uneed, BetaList, integration marketplaces
```
{each directory's fields, filled from the copy above}
```
One tracked link per listing so you know which ones work.

The offer: Your listing.

When to stop: A listing with 0 visits after 30 days: leave it, don't chase it.

Be where they look · 2 steps

Comparison pages

The 'alternative to' and 'X vs Y' pages people search when they're about to switch.

where: your site
your time: 3 hours per page
watch this number: signups from search
works best when: unhappy with their current tool

draft · Alternative page — can be scheduled · your site

{competitor} alternative for {who}

who switches: {who} who {reason from real reviews}
what's different: {difference}, {difference}
what {competitor} does better: {an honest point}
what switching takes: {time}, {steps}

The honest 'does better' line is what makes the rest believable.

draft · Comparison page — can be scheduled · your site

{product} vs {competitor}

price: {price} vs {their price}
best for: {who} vs {their buyer}
{criterion}: {value} vs {value}

checked against {competitor}'s public pricing on {date}.

Date every fact about a competitor.

The offer: Switching with your setup intact.

When to stop: None. Check rankings monthly.

Be where they look · 6 steps

Get named by AI assistants

Track which prompts your buyers type into AI assistants, then get onto the pages those assistants cite and publish answer-first pages they can quote.

where: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
your time: 2 hours a week
watch this number: share of prompts that name you
works best when: unhappy with their current tool

week 1 · Write the prompt panel — can be scheduled · notes

prompts my buyers would type:
1. how do I {outcome} as {who}
2. best tool to {core job}
3. {competitor} alternative for {who}
4. how to stop {main pain}
...

for each, every week: named? linked? who was named instead?

20 to 30 prompts in your buyers' words. Keep the same list every week, or the numbers can't be compared.

weekly · Run it on four assistants — can be scheduled · ChatGPT · Claude · Gemini · Perplexity
```
week of {date}
named in: {n} of {total} prompts
linked in: {n}
named instead most: {competitor}, {competitor}
sources they cited: {domains}
```
Use a fresh chat with no history so past conversations don't skew it.
week 1 · One line that says what it is — can be scheduled · your site, bios, listings
```
{product} is a {category} that {core job} for {who}.
```
Use the same sentence everywhere. Repetition across sites is how a model learns what you are.

week 2 on · An answer-first page per prompt — can be scheduled · your site

{the prompt, as the page title}

short answer: {two sentences that answer it, naming {product} only where it fits}.

option | best for | price | checked on
{product} | {who} | {price} | {date}
{competitor} | {their buyer} | {their price} | {date}

what {competitor} does better: {an honest point}

Answer in the first two sentences. Date every fact about a competitor; dated, sourced claims are the ones assistants quote.

weekly · Get onto the pages they cite — you send · lists, review sites, Reddit
```
hi {author}, saw your {list title}. I built {product}: it {core job} for {who}.

if it fits the list, here's a one-line description you can use: {one-liner}. no worries if not.
```
Take targets from the 'sources they cited' line. Reddit threads get the Community answers playbook instead of a pitch.

once · Let the crawlers in — can be scheduled · robots.txt, your site

allow: OAI-SearchBot, ChatGPT-User, PerplexityBot, Claude-SearchBot
page text served as html, not only after javascript runs
schema: Organization, SoftwareApplication, FAQ
llms.txt: cheap to add, not proven to matter

Check robots.txt first. Some site templates and CDNs block AI bots by default.

The offer: An honest answer, with your product named where it fits.

When to stop: 8 weeks with no movement on your target prompts: get onto the sources named instead before writing more pages.

Be where they look · 3 steps

Founder swap

Find a founder who sells to the same people with a product that doesn't compete, and introduce each other's products to your audiences.

where: X, newsletters, DMs
your time: 1 hour a week
watch this number: signups from each swap
works best when

week 1 · The ask — you send · DM

hey {name}, I build {product} for {who}, the same people you sell {their product} to, for a different job.

want to swap? I'd write a short post on why my audience should look at {their product}, you do the same for mine. no pressure if not.

Pick someone close to your size. Lopsided swaps rarely happen.

swap day · Your post about them — can be scheduled · X or newsletter

if you're {who}, look at {their product} by {name}.

it {their core job}. {what you actually liked about it}.

link in the reply.

Only recommend what you'd use yourself.

a week later · Compare notes — you send · DM

signups from your post: {n}. how many came your way from mine?

happy to do another if it worked for you too.

Share real numbers. It makes the next swap easier to ask for.

The offer: An even trade: one post or newsletter mention each.

When to stop: A swap that brings under 3 signups: thank them and don't repeat it.

Be where they look · 1 steps

Powered-by badge

A small badge on what your customers publish with your product, linking back to you.

where: your product
your time: half a day once
watch this number: badge clicks to signups
works best when

setup · Badge text — can be scheduled · customer pages

made with {product}

(links to a short page: what {product} does, who it's for, and a link that credits the customer who sent them)

Credit the customer. Some products give a free month per referral.

The offer: Customers can remove it.

When to stop: None.

who's ready to buy

Seven moments that mean someone needs you this week.

Most people who fit your product aren't looking right now. These are the moments when they are, and when they say so in public (sales teams call them trigger events). Outreach that starts from one of these gets answered; outreach that doesn't usually gets ignored. These are the core seven; the full set of 13 cold and 11 warm moments is in the Buying moments map.

After a launch, the stretch from about day 3 to day 45 is when a founder is looking for a way out of the silence and hasn't yet accepted it.

1 · Tried it and it failed

They did the obvious thing and it didn't work.

looks like: Launched, got a handful of upvotes and no signups.
find it in: Launch directories with dates: Uneed, Fazier, Startup Fame, Smol Launch.
opening line: saw your launch on {platform}. {their result} after that much work is rough.

Playbooks for it: Community answers, Founder-led outbound, Offer post, Beta tester recruiting

2 · Unhappy with their current tool

Budget exists and they already understand the category. The current tool is letting them down.

looks like: Complaining about or cancelling a competitor.
find it in: Switching threads, cancellation posts, review-site complaints.
opening line: what made you want to leave {competitor}? asking because I built the other kind.

Playbooks for it: Founder-led outbound, Win-back, Comparison pages, Get named by AI assistants

3 · Set up, but no results

All the setup, none of the payoff.

looks like: Payments connected and people signing up, but $0 revenue.
find it in: Public revenue boards like TrustMRR that show payments set up with zero revenue.
opening line: you've got payments wired and people signing up. the gap between that and a first payment is usually one thing.

Playbooks for it: Offer post, Activation nudge, Stalled-trial rescue

4 · Taking stock

They shared their results in public and asked what they mean.

looks like: A 'month one' or 'year in review' post.
find it in: Search for 'month one', 'year in review', open-startup pages. Spikes about four to five weeks after launch.
opening line: thanks for posting real numbers. the one I'd look at first is {their weakest step}.

Playbooks for it: Community answers, Offer post, Weekly long-form, Video check-ins, Build-in-public streak

5 · Doing it by hand

A spreadsheet, a script, a ritual they resent.

looks like: Writing every post by hand, tracking leads in a sheet.
find it in: 'I built a script for this', template downloads, questions about the manual method.
opening line: the spreadsheet version of this works until about {n}. after that it eats your week.

Playbooks for it: Community answers, Weekly long-form, Beta tester recruiting

6 · Crossed a threshold

Funding, a first hire, a plan limit, a deadline.

looks like: First hire, second product, outgrew a free tier.
find it in: Announcements, job posts, changelog and pricing-page changes.
opening line: congrats on {milestone}. that's usually when {main pain} stops being doable by hand.

Playbooks for it: Second product

7 · Trying again

Back for a second attempt after the first one didn't work.

looks like: Relaunching the same product.
find it in: The same product showing up twice across launch sites.
opening line: second launch of {their product}? what's different this time is the part people want to hear.

Playbooks for it: Founder-led outbound, Launch week, Bring back quiet signups

measure what paid

Once a week, find the one step that's leaking.

Count five numbers from reach to payment. The weakest step is your constraint, and next week's only change goes there. Everything else stays the same so you can tell what worked.

One week, one playbook (example numbers)

Step	Count	Note
reached	31	messages sent
replied	9	29%
visited	12	clicked a link
signed up	2	count only
paid	1	$49/mo

Constraint: visited → signed up. 12 visited, 2 signed up. The message worked; the landing page didn't. Next week: same people, same playbook, a landing page written for them. Nothing else changes.

How much to trust a number

under 10	Report the count only. "2 signups" is a fact; "17%" is noise.
10 to 29	A direction. Good enough to keep going, not to declare a winner.
30 and up	A rate you can quote, with a range around it.
~100 per side	Before you call one version of a message better than another.

Ask every new customer "how did you hear about us?" and keep the answer next to your tracked links. Plenty of buyers read a thread on their phone and come back a week later; the link won't catch that, the question will.

post library

121 single posts for your own accounts.

For the days a playbook calls for a post, or you just need one. Each card names what it's built to move. Your product details from step 1 fill in here too.

Each template names the number it's built to move: replies, bookmarks, profile clicks, signups, reach.

Launch day (Product Hunt and friends)

A sequence for one 24-hour ranking day. Product Hunt resets at 12:01am Pacific; the same arc works for Hacker News, Uneed or PeerPush.

Warmup, 3 to 5 days out — moves profile clicks

{product} goes live on {platform} on {day}.

it started because {specific moment you hit the problem}.

it does one thing: {core job} for {who}.

if that's you, the notify link is in the reply.

One problem, one audience, one date. The origin line is what makes a stranger care before launch.

Warmup, 3 to 5 days out — moves bookmarks

before {product} launches on {day}, here's what's in it and what isn't:

in: {thing}
in: {thing}
not yet: {thing}
not ever: {thing}

the 'not ever' line is the real positioning.

Saying what you refuse to build sharpens who it's for, and in/out lists get saved.

Warmup, 3 to 5 days out — moves replies

launching {product} {day}.

one question before I do: when you {situation}, what do you open first?

I'm checking if my guess about {assumption} is right.

Turns the pre-launch post into research, and every reply is a warm contact for launch morning.

Go-live — moves signups

{product} is live on {platform}.

it {core job} for {who}, without {main pain}.

{n} months, built alone after work.

link in the reply. feedback in the comments there helps more than anything.

Clear value line first, story second. The ask is for comments, which rank better than silent upvotes.

Go-live — moves profile clicks

today's the day for {product}.

the shortest version of why:
I was {doing task} every {frequency} and it took {time}.
now it takes {new time}.

it's on {platform} until midnight PT. link below.

Before and after in time units does the selling. The deadline is real, so it isn't manufactured urgency.

Mid-day — moves replies

{n} hours into launch day.

the comment I didn't expect: {real comment, paraphrased}

it made me rethink {feature or assumption}. anyone else read it that way?

Real-time surprise gives the second post of the day a new reason to exist.

Mid-day — moves bookmarks

the question I've answered most today: how is {product} different from {category tool}?

{difference 1}
{difference 2}
{difference 3}

the third one is why I built it.

Answers the comparison everyone is silently making, and becomes a reusable positioning post.

The ask — moves signups

I don't ask for much here.

today I'm asking for one thing: if anything I've posted about {topic} has been useful, a look at {product} on {platform} would mean a lot.

link in the reply. thank you either way.

Spends earned goodwill once, explicitly. Works only if you rarely ask, so use it one time.

The ask — moves replies

two ways to help {product} today, pick whichever is easier:

1. a comment on the {platform} page saying what you'd use it for
2. a reply here telling me what's missing

both go straight into the roadmap.

Low-effort options raise participation, and both produce something you can use.

Results — moves bookmarks

{product} finished #{rank} on {platform}.

visits: {n}
signups: {n}
paid: {n}

what drove the signups: {channel}
what I'd skip next time: {thing}

full breakdown in the reply.

Funnel numbers from a launch are rare. Founders save these for their own launch.

Results — moves replies

one week after launch day:

still using it: {n} of {n}
best feedback: {paraphrase}
biggest bug: {bug}

launch day was {n} signups. the week after decided whether it worked.

Retention after the spike is the honest number, and the last line invites founders to compare.

Product launch

The weeks around a launch, from the first hint to the 30-day readout.

Pre-launch — moves replies

building something for {who} who {situation}.

not showing it yet. one question first:

what's the most annoying part of {task} for you right now?

A pre-launch question that collects the exact words your landing page should use.

Pre-launch — moves signups

{n} days until {product}.

problem {k} of {total} it fixes: {specific pain}.

last {timeframe} that cost me {real cost}.

waitlist in the reply.

A countdown where each day names one concrete pain. Each post is a different reason to join.

Pre-launch — moves replies

would you pay {price}/mo for something that {core outcome}?

not selling yet. trying to price it before I build the billing page, and I'd rather hear 'no' now.

Pricing questions get honest answers when the stakes are clearly low.

Launch day — moves signups

{product} is out.

what: {one line}
for: {who}
why now: {reason}
price: {price}

link in the reply. tell me what breaks.

The what/for/why/price grid answers every question a buyer has in four lines.

Launch day — moves profile clicks

I needed {product} {timeframe} ago and couldn't find it.

so I built it. it's live today.

if you {specific activity}, it should save you {measured time}. if it doesn't, tell me.

The founder-as-first-customer story, with a promise you can check.

Feature drops — moves signups

new in {product}: {feature}.

before: {old workflow in one line}
after: {new workflow in one line}

asked for by {n} users. live now for everyone.

Before/after shows the value without explaining it. The request count shows you listen.

Feature drops — moves bookmarks

{feature} shipped today. how to use it in 30 seconds:

1. {step}
2. {step}
3. {result}

most people will miss step 2.

A tiny tutorial with a reason to read carefully. Gets saved by users and seen by prospects.

Social proof — moves profile clicks

a user sent this today:

"{their words, with permission}"

they're a {role} using it for {use case}. I didn't build it for that. I'm glad they found it.

Unexpected use cases are more convincing than the one you planned.

Social proof — moves signups

{n} signups in the first {hours} hours.

{x} came from {channel}, which I almost didn't post in.

the lesson for anyone launching: {lesson}.

Velocity plus attribution. The lesson is what makes non-customers share it.

Follow-up — moves bookmarks

30 days after launching {product}:

signups: {n}
paying: {n}
churned: {n}
most used: {feature}
never used: {feature}

next month I'm cutting {feature}.

A public cut is a stronger signal than a public add, and it shows you read the data.

Follow-up — moves replies

launch month, what I expected vs what happened:

expected: {thing}
got: {thing}

expected: {thing}
got: {thing}

the gap I'm working on first: {thing}.

Expected/actual pairs are relatable to anyone who has launched.

Build in public

Updates from inside the work. The good ones carry a number and a lesson; the best ones carry a bad number.

Milestones — moves bookmarks

{milestone} today.

{timeframe} ago it was {starting number}.

what changed between then and now, honestly: {one specific thing}.

everything else I tried barely moved it.

Specific start, specific end, one cause. Credit concentrated on one lever is what people save.

Milestones — moves replies

first paying customer for {product}.

they found it through {channel}.
they paid because {reason they gave}.
I almost {thing you nearly did instead}.

what was your first customer's reason?

The first-customer story is always read. The closing question invites others to share theirs.

Milestones — moves profile clicks

no launch, no viral post. just {milestone}.

{n} {unit} of showing up and fixing what users complained about.

quiet milestones are most of them.

Understated milestones read as trustworthy. Good for days the number is small.

Revenue — moves bookmarks

{month} for {product}:

MRR: {amount} ({change} vs last month)
new: {n}
churned: {n}
net: {amount}

what moved it: {cause}
what didn't: {thing you expected to work}

Including churn and the failed bet is what separates a report from a brag.

Revenue — moves bookmarks

what {amount} in revenue actually leaves me:

fees: {amount}
refunds: {amount}
infra: {amount}
tools: {amount}

kept: {amount}

most revenue screenshots skip this part.

The revenue-to-profit gap is rarely shown, so it stands out.

Revenue — moves replies

lost {amount} MRR to churn this month.

the reasons they gave:
{reason}: {n}
{reason}: {n}
{reason}: {n}

fixing {top reason} first. if you've solved this one, how?

Churn posts pull advice from people who've been there, and the advice is often good.

Lessons — moves bookmarks

mistake this week: {mistake}.

it cost {real cost}.

what I'll do instead: {better approach}.

writing it down so I stop making it.

Fresh mistakes read as honest. A cost in real units is what lands.

Lessons — moves bookmarks

{n} months into {product}:

overrated: {thing}
underrated: {thing}
surprising: {thing}

the underrated one is where I'd start over.

Three labels, three short lines. Easy to read, easy to disagree with.

Lessons — moves replies

tried {approach}. expected {outcome}. got {actual result}.

my read: {insight}.

could be wrong. anyone seen the opposite?

Shows the reasoning, not just the conclusion, and invites correction.

Behind the scenes — moves profile clicks

where my {n} hours on {product} went this week:

building: {pct}
support: {pct}
marketing: {pct}
fixing things: {pct}

building the product is the smallest slice.

Time allocation as numbers is relatable to every solo founder.

Behind the scenes — moves bookmarks

the part of {product} nobody sees:

{n} support replies
{n} bugs fixed
{n} feature requests read
{n} of those built

the polished screen is the last 10%.

A count of invisible work builds trust with buyers and recognition from builders.

Shipping — moves replies

shipped this week:

{thing}, because {reason}
{thing}, because {reason}
{thing}, because {reason}

what did you ship?

Weekly shipping logs are a reusable series. The because-lines show judgment.

Shipping — moves bookmarks

{feature}

estimate: {time}
actual: {time}
why: {honest reason}

worth it: {yes or no, and one line why}

Estimate versus actual is the most relatable post a developer can write.

Lows — moves replies

bad week.

{what happened, in two lines}

why I'm not stopping: {reason}.

posting it because the wins posts are only half the story.

Vulnerability with a reason to keep going. Keep it factual, not performative.

Lows — moves bookmarks

numbers I'm not proud of this month:

{metric}: {number}
{metric}: {number}
{metric}: {number}

the plan: {one concrete change}.

report back in 30 days.

A bad month with a dated follow-up promise creates its own next post.

Conversation starters

Posts built to get answered. Every one leads with your own answer so people know what kind of reply you want.

Questions — moves replies

what's one {tool or habit} in {field} you'd never give up?

mine: {answer}, because {reason}.

Answering first shows the reply format you want. Specific questions beat broad ones.

Questions — moves replies

you're starting {activity} from zero tomorrow. no audience, no money.

what do you do in week one?

I'd {your answer}.

A constrained scenario makes it easy to answer and fun to argue.

Questions — moves replies

worst advice you got about {topic}?

mine was "{bad advice}." it cost me {consequence}.

Bad advice is more fun to share than good advice.

Contrarian — moves replies

{common advice} is fine for {who it fits}.

for {your audience} it's backwards. here's why:

{reason}
{reason}

what I do instead: {alternative}.

Disagreement with a scope. You're not saying everyone is wrong, only that it doesn't fit this group.

Contrarian — moves profile clicks

I stopped doing {common practice} {timeframe} ago.

what happened: {result, measured}.

not saying you should. saying I didn't miss it.

The result does the arguing. The soft close keeps it from reading as a lecture.

Fill in the blank — moves replies

the thing I'd tell myself on day one of {project}: ______

mine is in the first reply.

Low effort to answer, and you seed the thread with your own example.

Fill in the blank — moves replies

the most underrated part of {field} is ______.

no wrong answers, but some will be very wrong.

The light tone invites replies without asking for engagement.

Forced choice — moves replies

{option A} or {option B} for {goal}?

I've switched sides {n} times. currently {your pick}, because {reason}.

Admitting you changed your mind makes the debate feel open.

Forced choice — moves replies

you can keep one: {thing A} or {thing B}.

for {role}, I think the answer is obvious. curious if you agree.

Two good options, a confident framing. Easy choices get no replies.

Participation prompts — moves profile clicks

if you're building {kind of product} right now, reply with what it does in one line.

I'll read every one and follow the ones I'd use.

A promise you can keep that rewards the reply with attention, not a vague boost.

Participation prompts — moves replies

reply with your {role} and the one thing you're stuck on.

I'll answer as many as I can today with one specific suggestion.

Only post this when you have the time. Delivered answers build loyalty fast.

Story starters — moves profile clicks

a year ago: {situation}.
today: {situation}.

the thing in between that mattered most: {one decision}.

The transformation format works best with one cause, not ten.

Story starters — moves replies

{n} years ago someone told me "{advice}."

I ignored it. it cost me {consequence}.

what advice did you ignore that turned out right?

Regret plus a cost, then a question that invites others to share theirs.

Thread and article openers

First posts for long-form. The opener promises one specific payoff and the rest delivers it.

How-to — moves bookmarks

how I {result} in {timeframe}, step by step.

not theory. this is the exact sequence, including the step I got wrong the first time.

Personal proof plus a promise of the mistake. The mistake is what people read for.

How-to — moves bookmarks

how to {outcome} without {usual cost or pain}.

{n} steps. the {k}th one is the one most guides skip.

The 'without' line removes the main objection. Teasing a specific step keeps people reading.

Lessons — moves bookmarks

{n} things I learned {doing thing} that I'd have paid to know earlier.

ordered by how much they cost me to learn.

Ordering by cost gives the list a spine and a reason to reach the end.

Lessons — moves bookmarks

{n} things I stopped doing in {year}.

each one gave back {time or money}. the last one surprised me most.

Subtraction lists are more actionable than addition lists.

Story — moves profile clicks

in {year} I was {situation}. I had {resources}.

this is what happened between then and {current situation}, including the part I usually leave out.

A gap between two states plus a promise of honesty.

Story — moves profile clicks

everyone told me {decision} was a mistake.

{timeframe} later, here's what actually happened, with numbers.

The vindication-or-not arc. Works even when the answer is 'they were half right'.

Myth-busting — moves bookmarks

"{common advice}"

I followed this for {timeframe}. here's what it did to {metric}, and what I do now.

Quoting the advice people recognize, then showing data from following it.

Myth-busting — moves replies

{n} beliefs about {topic} I held until I measured them.

some were right. most weren't. the data's in each post.

Myth-busting framed as measurement, not opinion, so it can't be dismissed as a take.

Resources — moves bookmarks

every tool I use to run {product} alone, and what each costs per month.

total: {amount}. the most expensive one is the one I'd keep.

Stacks with prices are saved. The last line adds a surprise.

Resources — moves bookmarks

{n} free resources that taught me more about {skill} than the paid course did.

all tested, all still online as of {month}.

Free beats paid in saves. The date stamp shows you checked.

SaaS growth

Customer stories, funnel numbers and the tactics behind them. Written for founders selling to founders.

Customer stories — moves signups

{customer} was {before state} when they started using {product}.

{timeframe} later: {after state, measured}.

what they did differently from most users: {behavior}.

shared with their permission.

The behavior line turns a testimonial into a lesson other customers can copy.

Customer stories — moves bookmarks

a customer almost cancelled last month.

reason: {reason}.
fix: {what you shipped}, {timeframe}.
still here: {months} later.

churn interviews are the cheapest roadmap.

A saved-churn story shows you listen and teaches a retention habit.

Metrics — moves bookmarks

{product} funnel, {month}:

visitors: {n}
signups: {n} ({pct})
activated: {n} ({pct})
paid: {n} ({pct})

the leak: {stage}. the fix I'm testing: {change}.

Full funnels with the weakest stage named. Founders compare their own numbers against it.

Metrics — moves replies

the one number I check every morning: {metric}.

why it, and not MRR: {reason}.

now: {value}. goal: {value} by {date}.

what's yours?

A north-star metric with reasoning invites others to defend theirs.

Industry read — moves profile clicks

talked to {n} {role}s this month.

the pattern: {theme}.

if you sell to them, {implication}.

Primary research from conversations is more credible than trend takes.

Industry read — moves replies

prediction: within {timeframe}, {shift} in {market}.

what I'm seeing:
{evidence}
{evidence}

what I'm doing about it: {action}.

A dated prediction with evidence and your own bet on it.

Product tips — moves bookmarks

most {product} users never find {feature}.

what it does: {one line}.
how to turn it on: {steps}.

it saves {measured time} a week for the people who use it.

Helps current users and shows prospects the product has depth.

Product tips — moves signups

the {product} setup our most active users share:

1. {step}
2. {step}
3. {step}

setup: {minutes} minutes. saves: {hours} a week.

ROI in time, from real usage. The strongest conversion post a tool can make.

Founder journey — moves replies

founder check-in, {month}:

energy: {x}/10
confidence in the product: {x}/10
money stress: {x}/10

{one honest line}

how are you doing?

A rating format other founders can answer in one line.

Founder journey — moves bookmarks

if I started {product} again tomorrow:

first week: {action}
first month: {action}
never again: {action}

this would have saved me {timeframe}.

A do-over plan is hindsight packaged as a playbook.

Growth tactics — moves bookmarks

{metric} went from {before} to {after} after one change: {change}.

why I think it worked: {reason}.

what I tried first that didn't: {thing}.

One change, measured, with the failed attempt included.

Growth tactics — moves bookmarks

free channels bringing users to {product} right now:

{channel}: {n} signups
{channel}: {n} signups
{channel}: {n} signups

spend: $0. time: about {hours} a week.

Free channels with real attribution. People will try to copy it.

Audience growth

Posts designed for the profile click, the step before a follow.

Hooks — moves profile clicks

most {role}s think {common belief}.

after {experience}, I think {your view}.

here's the one thing that changed my mind: {evidence}.

Belief, counter-belief, evidence. The profile click comes from wanting more of the evidence.

Hooks — moves profile clicks

the difference between {thing A} and {thing B}:

{one-line distinction}.

most people use them interchangeably and pay for it.

Comparison hooks work when the two things are often confused.

Openers — moves bookmarks

everything I know about {topic} after {experience}, in one post.

{n} sections. skip to the one you need.

Comprehensive posts earn follows from people who want the next one.

Openers — moves bookmarks

I spent {time} studying {topic} so I could {goal}.

here's what I'd tell someone starting today.

Effort invested upfront signals the post is worth reading.

Follow asks — moves profile clicks

I post about {topic} {frequency}, mostly {what kind: numbers, experiments, teardowns}.

if that's useful, the next one is {day}.

A specific schedule and format gives people a concrete reason to follow.

Follow asks — moves profile clicks

I'm building {product} in public: real numbers, failed tests included.

this week's readout goes out {day}.

Follow-for-the-journey only works with a dated next installment.

Value posts — moves bookmarks

cheat sheet: {topic}

{item}: {one line}
{item}: {one line}
{item}: {one line}
{item}: {one line}

screenshot it.

Dense, scannable, and formatted to be screenshotted.

Value posts — moves bookmarks

the {n} best {category} I found this {period}, and why each made the list:

{item}: {reason}
{item}: {reason}
{item}: {reason}

Curation with reasons positions you as a filter, not a list.

Hooks

First lines. Pair one with a body from any other category.

Contrarian — moves profile clicks

{common practice} stopped working for {who} around {when}.

what replaced it:

Declare a shift only with a dated reason and a replacement.

Contrarian — moves replies

saying what most {role}s I talk to already think: {statement}.

Naming a quiet consensus gets agreement replies quickly.

Curiosity — moves profile clicks

I {did experiment} for {timeframe}.

I expected {outcome}. the result was the opposite.

A personal experiment with a reversed expectation creates a real gap to close.

Curiosity — moves bookmarks

the reason {successful thing} works isn't the part everyone copies.

Subverts the obvious explanation. Only use it if the real reason is surprising.

List openers — moves bookmarks

{n} rules I follow for {area}, ranked by how often I break them:

A ranking with a self-aware twist.

List openers — moves replies

{n} signs your {thing} has {problem}:

Self-diagnosis lists make readers check themselves, and reply with their count.

Story — moves profile clicks

{time} ago: {situation}.
today: {situation}.

what happened in between:

The bigger and more specific the gap, the stronger the hook.

Story — moves replies

I almost {quit or failed} at {thing}.

then {specific event} happened.

A named turning point creates tension. Be specific about the event.

Daily rhythm

Low-effort formats for keeping a cadence on days you have nothing big to say.

Morning — moves replies

today's one thing: {task}.

if it's the only thing I finish, the day counts.

what's yours?

A single-priority post. The closing question works because the answer is easy.

Morning — moves profile clicks

coffee thought: {observation about your field}.

not sure what to do with it yet.

An unfinished thought invites people to finish it.

Midday — moves bookmarks

small tip that saved me {time} this week: {tip}.

takes {minutes} minutes to set up.

One tip, one cost, one payoff. Afternoon feeds favor short.

Midday — moves profile clicks

progress, {day}: {what got done}.

{what's next}.

A two-line log. Consistency matters more than size here.

Evening — moves replies

learned today: {lesson}.

learned the hard way: also {lesson}.

what did today teach you?

Two lessons, one easy and one honest.

Evening — moves profile clicks

tomorrow I'm doing {priority}.

posting it so I actually do it.

Accountability posts create their own follow-up.

Weekly — moves bookmarks

week {n} of {project}:

shipped: {thing}
learned: {thing}
number that moved: {metric}, {change}
number that didn't: {metric}

week {n+1}: {plan}

A numbered weekly log becomes a series people come back for.

Weekly — moves bookmarks

{n} things worth your time from this week in {field}:

{item}: {why}
{item}: {why}
{item}: {why}

Curation for people who didn't have time to look.

Replies

For other people's threads, where most early growth comes from. Each one adds something the original post didn't have.

Agree and add — moves profile clicks

yes, and the part people skip: {nuance}.

Agreement plus one thing the post didn't say. Keep it short.

Agree and add — moves profile clicks

saw the same thing with {your experience}. the difference was {specific detail}.

Personal evidence makes agreement worth reading.

Add value — moves bookmarks

a practical way to apply this: {step}, then {step}. took me {time} to set up.

Turns their idea into steps. Often the most-liked reply on a thread.

Add value — moves profile clicks

tried this on {your product or account}. it moved {metric} from {before} to {after}.

Data under someone else's claim is the strongest reply you can write.

Questions — moves replies

how does this hold up when {edge case}?

An edge-case question often gets the author to write a second, better post.

Questions — moves replies

what did you try before this that didn't work?

Asks for the part of the story they left out. Authors usually answer.

Disagree — moves replies

mostly agree, but {condition} changes it. for {context}, I'd do {alternative}.

Partial agreement keeps it a conversation instead of a fight.

Disagree — moves replies

my numbers say otherwise: {your data}. could be my audience. what's your sample?

Disagreement with data, plus an honest exit.

Announcements

Shipping, hiring, partnerships and milestones, stated plainly.

Launch — moves signups

{product} is live.

{one line value}.

{timeframe} ago it was a note on my phone. link in the reply.

Short, specific, with one human detail.

Launch — moves signups

launching {product} today.

{n} beta users. {one measured result from beta}.

link in the reply.

Beta proof in one line lowers the bar to trying it.

Features — moves signups

you can now {capability} in {product}.

it was the most requested change since {month}. live for every plan.

Lead with what users can do, not the feature name.

Features — moves bookmarks

changelog, week of {date}:

new: {thing}
fixed: {thing}
faster: {thing}

the fix is the one I'm proudest of.

Changelogs show velocity. Picking one item gives it a voice.

Hiring — moves profile clicks

looking for a {role} to help {mission in one line}.

what you'd own: {scope}.
what it pays: {range}.

details in the reply.

Mission, scope and pay up front. Posting the pay range filters better than any copy.

Hiring — moves profile clicks

{name} joined {product} this week as {role}.

they'll own {area}. first project: {project}.

New-hire posts show momentum and give context to the next candidate.

Milestones and partners — moves replies

{milestone} today.

thank you to the first {n} people who {did early thing}. you know who you are.

next: {goal}.

Credit early supporters as a group, then point forward.

Milestones and partners — moves signups

{product} now works with {partner tool}.

what that means for you: {benefit}.
setup: {minutes} minutes.

Integration posts borrow the partner tool's audience. Lead with the benefit.

From your own data

Posts built from your own analytics, your tests, and the questions people keep asking you. OpenTweet has no equivalent.

Experiment readouts — moves bookmarks

test readout: {what you tested}.

A: {variant}, {metric} {value}
B: {variant}, {metric} {value}
posts per side: {n}

winner: {A, B, or no call}.
why: {reason}.

Readouts with sample sizes are rare. 'No call' is a valid result and builds trust.

Experiment readouts — moves replies

I'm testing {variable} on my posts for the next {days} days.

my bet: {hypothesis}.

what's your bet? I'll post the result on {date}.

Announcing the test turns it into a prediction game and a dated follow-up.

From your top posts — moves bookmarks

my {n} best-performing posts this {period} all had one thing in common: {pattern}.

my {n} worst all had: {pattern}.

changing {one thing} next {period}.

Pull your best and worst posts from your analytics. Your own data, framed as a lesson others can try.

From your top posts — moves profile clicks

the post that sent the most people to my profile this month wasn't my most-viewed one.

most viewed: {topic}, {impressions}
most profile clicks: {topic}, {clicks}

reach and interest aren't the same number.

Compare impressions with profile clicks in your analytics. Most accounts never look at the second number.

Pains you keep seeing — moves replies

seeing a lot of {role}s say {pain, paraphrased} this week.

what I've seen work: {suggestion}.

what have you tried?

A public answer to a pain you keep seeing. Helps first, sells never.

Pains you keep seeing — moves signups

three people asked me some version of "{question}" this week.

short answer: {answer}.

longer answer, with the setup I use, in the reply.

Answers a repeated question once, publicly. The reply can mention the product.

Distribution playbooks — moves bookmarks

the distribution playbook I'm running for {product} this month:

where: {channel}
who: {segment}
the trigger: {what makes them look now}
the offer: {offer}

results on {date}.

A public plan with a dated readout. Doubles as accountability.

Distribution playbooks — moves bookmarks

{n} places founders with a live product and no audience can get their first users:

{place}: {why it works}
{place}: {why it works}
{place}: {why it works}

all free. all tested on {product}.

Teach-first content aimed at the exact ICP, tested on your own product.

Dogfooding — moves profile clicks

every post on this account this week was drafted by {product} and scheduled by an agent.

I edited {n} of {total}.
best performer: {topic}.
the one I rewrote most: {topic}, because {reason}.

Proof by use, with the edit count. The rewritten one is the honest part.

words used on this page

Plain definitions.

Playbook

One repeatable way to reach one kind of buyer, like answering their questions on Reddit or emailing trials that stalled.

Sequence

Also called a cadence. The messages inside a playbook, in order, with the day each one goes out and when to stop.

Moment

A situation that makes someone ready to buy, like a launch that flopped or a tool they pay for and dislike. Also called a trigger event.

Signal

One sighting of one real person in a moment: a post, a listing, a review. Also called an intent signal.

Campaign

One group of people, one playbook, one offer, and an end date. You run one at a time per group.

Activation

The first action in your product that predicts someone will pay. You decide what it is.

Constraint

Also called the bottleneck. The weakest step between reaching someone and getting paid. Fix that one first.

Kill rule

Also called kill criteria. The result that tells you to stop a playbook and try another, decided before you start.

Tracked link

A link that records which message it came from, so a payment can be traced to the conversation that caused it.

You send the first message.

To a stranger, always a human-sent message. Templates draft it; you press send.

Real numbers only.

If you don't have the figure, delete the line. Don't round up.

Links go in the first reply.

On X, posts with a link in the body tend to reach fewer people.

One follow-up, then stop.

No reply after one nudge means not now. Respect it.

Kill rules and timings are starting points, not laws; adjust them to your numbers. Example funnel figures are illustrative and marked as such. Signal sources named in step 4 (Uneed, Fazier, Startup Fame, Smol Launch, TrustMRR) are public launch directories and revenue boards; check each one's terms before collecting from it.