The Product Journey to Get 100K Signups: MVP to Full Product.
December 23, 2024
In 15 years I’ve launched 36 companies and products, so you could say I’m an expert on the product journey.
Most would say it is very hard to get 100,000 people to sign up for your product or service, and you know what…
They are absolutely right. It’s extremely hard, but it’s not impossible.
This is a fact. Hundreds of companies and projects attract millions of users in a matter of days. So, what is stopping you from trying?
I have done it a number of times, scaling brands to hundreds of thousands of users at a time. I am not claiming to have a magical formula or a guaranteed winning solution, but through experience, I’ve developed a repeatable framework that can show you how it can be done.
Start Small, Iterate, Then Scale
The journey to 100,000 signups doesn’t begin with grand strategies or big budgets. It starts with a single user. The first step is to aim for just one user, listen to their feedback, and ask them about their experience. What worked? What didn’t? Fix the issues they raise quickly and get more users.
Once you’ve optimised the experience for one user, your next goal is ten users, then one hundred. This phase is about gathering insights and improving your product or service. Your early adopters are your most valuable asset at this stage—they’ll provide honest feedback and help you refine your offering before you scale.
When you’ve ironed out the kinks and validated your product with a small audience, it’s time to leverage your key growth with affiliation. But before diving into those, let’s discuss the foundation: creating something people truly want.
Finding the Right Product Fit
One of the most challenging aspects of reaching 100,000 signups is creating something that resonates with your target audience. Let’s take Prop Firms as an example.
In 2021, this wasn’t even a core part of my business. We were focused on FX tech and products at the time, but we saw an opportunity to explore the Prop space. We needed to test this new direction and create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Jason and I set out to build a simple dashboard and an API for trading accounts. It was nothing fancy—users could view their account status and track their progress toward specific goals. We used a basic setup for the sales and payment gateway: WooCommerce and WordPress for the landing page and Cryptochill for crypto payments.
Building an MVP
Despite its simplicity, this MVP was effective. Users chose a challenge, paid for it, and logged into the dashboard to track their progress. Within a few weeks, we sold six figures’ worth of products, validating that we were onto something.
While our MVP wasn’t groundbreaking—it mirrored existing offerings—it gave us the confidence to commit fully to this direction. We launched FunderPro, a company dedicated to Prop Firm evaluations, offering a funded stage in the live markets. After a year of hard work and resource investment, we officially launched FunderPro.com in March 2023.
Affiliate Dashboard on FunderPro
The Growth Lever: Affiliation
So, how did we scale the users? The key was affiliation.
Affiliation is one of the most powerful growth mechanisms you can deploy. The idea is simple: get one user to enter the product journey and incentivise them to bring in another—or better yet, a few others.
Each user becomes a mini-ambassador for your product. You can turn your early adopters into an active sales force by offering attractive incentives, such as discounts, rewards, or financial compensation.
For example, in the case of FunderPro, we used an affiliate program to reward users who referred others. This created a snowball effect, where one user brought in multiple others who did the same.
Weekly Payouts for Affiliates
The Importance of Building an Ecosystem
Another critical factor in scaling to 100,000 users is building an ecosystem that engages users. A seamless user journey, strong support systems, and value-added features can create a loyal user base that stays and actively promotes your product.
At FunderPro, we didn’t stop at the MVP. Over time, we added features, improved the user interface, and created a robust support system. This ensured that users who joined through referrals stayed engaged and felt valued, increasing the likelihood of them bringing others on board.
The Road to 100K Framework:
Reaching 100,000 signups is a long-term game. It requires persistence, adaptability, and a willingness to listen to your users. Here’s a simplified roadmap:
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Start with an MVP: Test your idea with a basic product version.
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Gather Feedback: Engage with early adopters to refine your offering.
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Leverage Affiliation: Create an incentive program to encourage referrals.
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Iterate and Improve: Continuously enhance your product journey based on user feedback.
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Scale Strategically: Invest in marketing and partnerships to reach larger audiences.
The journey is challenging, but the rewards are immense. Once you reach 100,000 users, you’ve validated your product and built a foundation for sustained growth.
So, what’s stopping you from starting today?