The First 100 Signups: A Growth Blueprint for Directory Creators
praneetbrar7
The Power of the First 100 Signups in Directory Growth
Launching a directory is exhilarating. Whether it focuses on AI tools, SaaS products, local businesses, or freelancers, the challenge remains the same — how do you attract the first 100 signups who care deeply about value and stick around? This initial cohort becomes the seed of your community, the source of early feedback, and the engine for organic word-of-mouth.
Getting those first users is often harder than building the platform itself. But with the right strategy, tools, timing, and messaging, turning browsers into submitters becomes much more achievable. In this post, we’ll explore a growth blueprint tailored for directory creators aiming to cross that magical first-100 threshold quickly and meaningfully — without burning out.
Understand Who Should Be Your First 100 Users
Target High-Intent Founders and Builders
Your early users shouldn’t just be numbers. They should be people who actively benefit from being in your directory. For most niche and startup-focused directories, the best initial audience often includes:
- SaaS startup founders looking for backlinks
- Product creators launching on Product Hunt
- Bootstrapped indie hackers in visibility-building mode
- Freelancers or consultants searching for leads and exposure
Reach People When They Need You Most
Timing matters. The sweet spot? Just after a product launches — especially on Product Hunt. This is when the founder is acutely aware of discoverability, SEO, and growth. That’s why tools like NurturingMail are built specifically for this moment, scanning Product Hunt daily and sending personalized “congrats + invite” emails on your behalf. If you’re serious about growth, this type of automation is no longer optional.
Create a Value Proposition That Resonates
Don’t Just Ask to Be Added—Give a Reason
Founders receive lots of messages after their launch. Half of them are salesy, spammy, or just irrelevant. To stand out, offer a compelling reason for them to submit to your directory:
- “We’ll give you a high-domain-authority backlink that helps your SEO”
- “Our community drives 1,000+ monthly views to listed products”
- “You’ll be included in our newsletter to 2,500 tech founders”
- “It’s free, takes 60 seconds, and you’ll get evergreen visibility”
Focus on mutual value: how being in your directory helps them, not just you filling spots. If you need help crafting that message, NurturingMail’s high-converting email templates can help you resonate with your ideal founders right out of the gate.
Manual Outreach vs. Smart Automation
You Can’t Email 50 Founders a Day By Yourself
Let’s be real — most solopreneurs don’t have time to dig through Product Hunt every day, extract contact details, and send warm emails at specific intervals. Yet that’s exactly what your growth playbook requires. Fortunately, NurturingMail automates the workflow:
| Task | Traditional Way | With NurturingMail |
|---|---|---|
| Monitor Product Hunt daily | Manual refresh & browse | Automated detection |
| Find contact info | LinkedIn, social scraping | Built-in enrichment |
| Write & send cold emails | Fully manual with templates | Personalized messages sent every 15–20 mins |
| Avoid spam folders | Trial and error | Optimized sending logic |
In short, using an automation tool like NurturingMail turns hours of outbound work into passive lead gen while boosting conversion. You can try it out with their pricing plans made for early-stage directories.
Leverage Distribution Channels That Isn’t Overcrowded
You know Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Reddit, and hacker circles are full of startup talk. But instead of shouting into a crowd, go in with tact. Here are three lesser-known ways to catch early adopters:
- Comment on Product Hunt launches with something valuable (but don’t plug right away).
- Join Slack and Discord communities for indie makers and provide sneak peeks of your directory, asking for early feedback.
- Use directory listing aggregators like uno.directory and Aura++ to submit your own listing and gain backlink + exposure.
In each of these spaces, your goal is to provide a benefit — traffic, backlinks, SEO, promotion — that is immediately relevant to the user.
Don’t Just List, Nurture
Turn Users Into Ambassadors
When someone adds their tool or startup to your directory, don’t just approve and forget. Follow up. Did they get traffic? Offer a badge. Ask them to share. Create a community vibe. That’s how you get advocates.
In fact, you can build user journeys directly into your outreach process using extended email sequences. One idea is:
- Day 0: Congrats on PH launch, invite to submit
- Day 3: Follow-up showing existing listings
- Day 7: Link to your latest newsletter/founder highlight
- Day 14: Ask how it helped, invite to share
Having a system that enables you to nurture — rather than just broadcast — makes your directory more than a listing site. Tools like NurturingMail help you craft ongoing relationships with early adopters, moving your growth from transactional to trust-based. Explore more use cases on their features page or visit their FAQs to understand how seamless nurturing can be.
Keep Testing and Improving
Use Data to Double Down on What Works
After getting the first 100 signups, ask: where did most of them come from? What language in your invite email performed best? What verticals or founder types converted the most? Use this intel to refine your:
- Directory positioning
- Onboarding messages
- Email subject lines
- Landing page copy
Using analytics from tools like Google Analytics and referral tracking from Substack or ConvertKit can also give you insight into which outreach methods bring traffic and conversions. If you run multiple directories or are planning to test new angles, you might check how other creators like Praneet Brar have pivoted and optimized their growth strategies over time.
Conclusion: Scale Smart From Day One
A great directory is only as valuable as the products or people submitted to it. But turning your idea into a buzzing hub doesn’t require heroics — it requires smart systems at the right time. Get visible with the right people, automate your outreach intelligently, and build relationships instead of just clicks.
If you’re just starting out, use tools like NurturingMail to handle personalized outreach the day you launch. Get those first 100 signups — from people who *benefit* from being in your directory. Then iterate, improve, and grow. The result? A high-quality, high-conversion directory that stands out in a world full of noise.
Ready to move from zero to 100? Let the right systems do the heavy lifting. Explore pricing plans, scan through features, or explore community advice in the faqs.
Directory owners,