Do not index
Do not index
My friend just launched his app to 40k followers.
150k+ impressions on the launch post.
Result? 10 sales.
If you think this is bad luck, I have hard news for you.
This is normal.
Most people think building SaaS looks like this:
- Get up and think about ideas until you find a magical one
- Spend months building the perfect app
- Do a public launch, get millions of impressions
- Those viewers turn into buyers
- Get a 5-figure head start
The world doesn't work like this.
You don't get ideas by thinking.
You find them by talking to people.
You don't spend months building.
You launch every week.
And the main launch? Maybe you don't need one at all.
The SaaS Duality
There are two types of software, and understanding which one you're building changes everything:
Type 1: The Viral Launch Products
- Easy to buy, easy to leave
- Quick customer journeys
- Short sales cycles
- Examples: Tweet Hunter, Revid, most creator tools
Type 2: The Silent Backend Mammoths
- Difficult to join (migration required)
- Super difficult to leave (switching costs)
- Examples: HubSpot ($30B company), Salesforce, enterprise tools
Neither is "correct." Both can make serious money. But you need to know which one you're building so you can market accordingly.
Why I choose type 1
Honestly, I'd rather build viral launch products. Quick feedback loops, faster iteration, plays to my distribution strengths.
All my successful businesses have been Type 1:
- Tweet Hunter
- Taplio
But if you prefer building deep, complex systems that become irreplaceable, Type 2 might be your path.
Growing viral launch products
I've built all my businesses here, so this is pure experience:
Launch constantly, not just once.
Here's our actual schedule from Tweet Hunter:
- July 2021: Launch of 'top 100' feature
- August 2021: Launched scheduling, acquired 'what to tweet'
- September 2021: Twitter launch
- October 2021: Product Hunt launch
We stayed relevant by constantly shipping. One big launch doesn't work. Continuous small launches do.
Partner with someone who has distribution.
For Tweet Hunter, we partnered with JK Molina on an equity level. His role was growth. It worked.
Mindset shift: Don't worry about equity percentage if you get results. 100% of $1,000 is smaller than 70% of $10,000.
Now I'm often the "influencer" in deals because I have distribution and partner with great makers for all my software.
Growing backend mammoths
If you're building Type 2, launches matter even less. These are usually B2B products that fit into business workflows.
If you expect that commitment, you must earn trust first.
Trust is earned through education.
Tweets. Posts. Videos. Newsletters. Every medium.
Example: If you build CRO software, you better educate customers about:
- Why they need CRO
- How it's done properly
- Why other software is broken
- What makes you different
- How this impacts their business
When you do this, your market respects you and buys when ready.
Education becomes your moat.
What this means for you:
If you're building Type 1 (viral):
- Launch weekly with small features
- Partner with distributors
- Focus on quick wins and social proof
- Build for easy onboarding
If you're building Type 2 (backend):
- Educate relentlessly
- Build switching costs
- Focus on long-term relationships
- Perfect your onboarding flow
Stop trying to make your product something it's not.
A scheduling tool doesn't need 6-month education cycles. An enterprise CRM doesn't need viral launch tactics.
Match your growth strategy to your product type!
Hit reply and tell me - are you building Type 1 or Type 2? And are you marketing it correctly? 👇🏻
I will see you next week,
Until then,
Keep building
Tibo 💻
P.S. That friend with 2 sales? He was treating a Type 1 product like Type 2. Once he switched strategies, everything changed.
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