My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Back to Tactics
Power User Referral Networks
Target ultra-high-volume email users who have strong professional networks
Why It Works
Power users have similar peers who face identical problems and trust referrals from people in similar situations
Prerequisites
Product that delivers measurable time savingsPremium pricing model that signals qualityUser base that actively discusses productivity tools
How to Execute
1
Identify specific power user segments (VCs, executives, consultants)
2
Build product features that create visible status/efficiency gains
3
Create referral incentives that align with professional reputation
4
Focus on quality over quantity in early user acquisition
When It Fails
When product doesn't deliver obvious benefits or when target users don't have strong referral networks
Real Example
“Email AI tool targets VCs who process 500+ daily emails, creating visible efficiency that gets discussed in VC networks”