What distribution strategies actually worked for your first 10 SMB SaaS customers?
I’m a solo founder building an AI-powered phone assistant for businesses such as restaurants, dealerships, and service companies.
The system answers calls, handles common questions, and helps businesses capture opportunities they might otherwise miss.
One of the biggest advantages is that I built the core architecture myself rather than relying entirely on third-party platforms. This gives me more control over performance and allows me to offer significantly more competitive pricing.
The product is fully functional, and I’ve been conducting demos and early outreach. I also have an investor who is evaluating the opportunity.
My main challenge right now is distribution.
I’m trying to determine what actually works at the earliest stage for acquiring the first real customers.
Specifically:
- Which channels worked best for you (cold calling, email, LinkedIn, partnerships, direct visits, etc.)?
- Did you handle sales yourself at first, or bring in someone with sales experience?
- At what point does it make sense to offer equity to someone focused on distribution?
- What would you do differently if you were starting from zero again?
I’m less interested in theory and more interested in practical experiences from founders who have sold to SMBs.
Any honest advice would be greatly appreciated.