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Beta Recruitment Master Plan - Complete Toolkit

Date: November 6, 2025 Status: ✅ All content created, ready to execute Goal: Get 10-15 beta testers by November 15, 2025

What We Built Today

You now have a complete beta recruitment system with:

✅ 1. LinkedIn Strategy

File: None (provided in chat) - 3 post versions (Problem-First, Founder Vulnerability, Data-Driven) - LinkedIn group recommendations (10 specific groups) - Reply templates for engagement

✅ 2. Direct Outreach

File: BETA_TARGET_LIST_STRATEGY.md (20,000+ words) - 20 personalized DM templates - 3-tier targeting strategy (known contacts → warm → cold) - LinkedIn search strategies (step-by-step) - Tracking spreadsheet template - Response handling scripts

✅ 3. Reddit r/devops

File: REDDIT_DEVOPS_POST.md (7,500+ words) - 3 post versions (Technical Deep-Dive, Problem-First, Show & Tell) - Best posting times and engagement strategy - 10+ comment response templates - Expected results: 5-10 beta signups

✅ 4. Reddit r/SideProject

File: REDDIT_SIDEPROJECT_POST.md (6,000+ words) - 3 post versions (Founder Journey, Numbers-Focused, Vulnerable & Personal) - Community-specific engagement tips - Advice collection framework - Expected results: 3-7 beta signups

✅ 5. Hacker News Strategy

File: HACKER_NEWS_SHOW_HN_POST.md (8,500+ words) - 2 "Show HN" post versions - Title optimization guide - Deep technical response templates - Note: Wait 2-4 weeks before posting (need traction first) - Expected results: 10-50+ signups if successful

Your Complete Week-by-Week Plan

Week 1: This Week (Nov 6-10)

Wednesday (Today):

  • Read all 5 documents created
  • Choose LinkedIn post version (Recommend: "Founder Vulnerability")
  • Post on LinkedIn between 8-10 AM CET
  • Reply to the person who said "try groups too" (use Option 1 from chat)

Thursday:

  • Fill in Tier 1 of BETA_TARGET_LIST_STRATEGY.md (5 people you know)
  • Send 5 personalized DMs using Templates 1-3
  • Post on Reddit r/devops at 8-10 AM EST (2-4 PM CET)
  • Use "Technical Deep-Dive" version from REDDIT_DEVOPS_POST.md
  • Stay online for 2 hours to answer comments
  • Post in 2 LinkedIn groups (DevOps Engineers, DevSecOps)

Friday:

  • Send 8 DMs to Tier 2 (warm connections)
  • Post in 2 more LinkedIn groups (GitHub Developers, Indie Hackers)
  • Monitor Reddit r/devops comments, respond to all

Saturday:

  • Post on Reddit r/SideProject at 9 AM-12 PM EST
  • Use "Vulnerable & Personal" version from REDDIT_SIDEPROJECT_POST.md
  • Stay online for 2 hours
  • Check all responses from LinkedIn + DMs + Reddit

Sunday:

  • Send 7 DMs to Tier 3 (cold outreach)
  • Compile list of all interested beta testers (spreadsheet)
  • Follow up with non-responders from Thursday

Week 2: Nov 11-17 (Beta Onboarding)

Monday-Wednesday:

  • Send setup instructions to all beta signups
  • Schedule onboarding calls (15 mins each)
  • Monitor first PRs being analyzed
  • Fix critical bugs immediately

Thursday-Friday:

  • Collect initial feedback from beta testers
  • Ask for testimonials from happy users
  • Update CodeSlick based on feedback

Week 3-4: Late November (Scale Up)

If you have 5+ happy beta testers:

  • Post "Show HN" on Hacker News (use HACKER_NEWS_SHOW_HN_POST.md)
  • Post update on r/devops: "Beta results from CodeSlick"
  • Write case study: "How [Company] found 15 vulnerabilities with CodeSlick"
  • Consider ProductHunt launch

Expected Results by Channel

Channel Effort Expected Signups Conversion Rate Best For
LinkedIn Post Low 1-3 1-2% Visibility
LinkedIn Groups Medium 3-5 2-5% Targeted reach
Direct DMs (Tier 1) Medium 3-4 60-80% Known contacts
Direct DMs (Tier 2) Medium 2-4 30-50% Warm connections
Direct DMs (Tier 3) High 1-2 10-20% Cold outreach
Reddit r/devops Medium 5-10 2-5% Technical audience
Reddit r/SideProject Low 3-7 5-10% Supportive community
Total Week 1 - 18-35 signups - -

You only need 10. So you can be selective!

Priority Ranking (Do This First)

Tier 1 Priority: Highest ROI ⭐⭐⭐

  1. Send 5 DMs to people you know (60-80% conversion)
  2. File: BETA_TARGET_LIST_STRATEGY.md
  3. Templates: 1-3
  4. Time: 1 hour

  5. Expected: 3-4 signups

  6. Post on Reddit r/devops (Thursday morning)

  7. File: REDDIT_DEVOPS_POST.md
  8. Use: "Technical Deep-Dive" version
  9. Time: 2 hours (post + engagement)
  10. Expected: 5-10 signups

Tier 2 Priority: Good ROI ⭐⭐

  1. Post on Reddit r/SideProject (Saturday morning)
  2. File: REDDIT_SIDEPROJECT_POST.md
  3. Use: "Vulnerable & Personal" version
  4. Time: 2 hours

  5. Expected: 3-7 signups

  6. Send 8 DMs to warm connections

  7. File: BETA_TARGET_LIST_STRATEGY.md
  8. Templates: 3, 7, 8, 10
  9. Time: 2 hours
  10. Expected: 2-4 signups

Tier 3 Priority: Lower ROI ⭐

  1. LinkedIn post + groups
  2. Use: "Founder Vulnerability" version from chat
  3. Post in 4-5 groups
  4. Time: 1 hour

  5. Expected: 3-5 signups

  6. Cold DMs (Tier 3)

  7. Only if you need more testers
  8. Time: 2 hours
  9. Expected: 1-2 signups

Quick Start Guide (If You Have 2 Hours Today)

Option A: Fast Results (Thursday Focus)

  1. ✅ Read REDDIT_DEVOPS_POST.md (15 mins)
  2. ✅ Copy "Technical Deep-Dive" version (5 mins)
  3. ✅ Post on r/devops Thursday 8-10 AM EST (2 mins)
  4. ✅ Answer comments for 2 hours (120 mins)
  5. ✅ DM everyone who said "interested" (30 mins)

Expected: 5-10 beta signups by Thursday evening

Option B: Warm Network (Immediate Start)

  1. ✅ Open BETA_TARGET_LIST_STRATEGY.md (5 mins)
  2. ✅ Fill in 5 people you know (15 mins)
  3. ✅ Send 5 personalized DMs using Templates 1-3 (40 mins)
  4. ✅ Wait 24 hours for responses

Expected: 3-4 beta signups by Friday

Option C: Community Love (Weekend Project)

  1. ✅ Read REDDIT_SIDEPROJECT_POST.md (15 mins)
  2. ✅ Post on r/SideProject Saturday 9 AM (2 mins)
  3. ✅ Engage with comments for 2 hours (120 mins)
  4. ✅ Implement advice from community

Expected: 3-7 beta signups + marketing advice

Critical Success Factors

✅ Do These:

  1. Personalize every message - No copy-paste
  2. Engage immediately - Answer comments within 5 mins
  3. Be vulnerable - Admit you need help
  4. Track everything - Use spreadsheet
  5. Follow up once - After 3 days if no response
  6. Thank everyone - Even if they don't sign up

❌ Don't Do These:

  1. Don't spam - Max 2-3 LinkedIn groups per day
  2. Don't argue - Accept criticism gracefully
  3. Don't ghost - Answer every DM/comment
  4. Don't rush HN - Wait until you have traction
  5. Don't give up - Some channels work better than others

Tracking Dashboard Template

Create a Google Sheet with these tabs:

Tab 1: DM Tracker

Name Company Tier Template Sent Date Response Status Notes

Tab 2: Reddit Performance

Post Subreddit Date Upvotes Comments Signups Notes

Tab 3: Beta Tester Pipeline

Name Source Contact Date Setup Complete Feedback Given Testimonial?

Tab 4: Channel Performance

Channel Time Spent Signups Cost ROI Notes

Troubleshooting Guide

If You Get <5 Signups After Week 1:

Problem: Low conversion Solutions: 1. Post "free security audit" offer on Reddit (Template 15 from BETA_TARGET_LIST_STRATEGY.md) 2. Lower barrier: "Just give me 10 mins, I'll find bugs in your code" 3. Add video demo to all posts 4. Focus only on Tier 1 DMs (people you know)

If Reddit Posts Get Removed:

Problem: Auto-mod flagged as spam Solutions: 1. Message mods politely 2. Reframe as "asking for advice" not "promoting product" 3. Try different subreddit (r/webdev, r/ExperiencedDevs)

If People Say "Too Expensive":

Problem: Pricing objection Solutions: 1. Offer beta discount: Free for 3 months + 50% off forever 2. Compare to Snyk: "€99 for 5 devs vs $800 for 8 devs" 3. Ask: "What price would work for your team?"

If No One Responds to DMs:

Problem: Message not compelling Solutions: 1. Make it shorter (3 sentences max) 2. Ask question first: "Are you using security tools?" 3. Offer value: "I'll find bugs in your code for free" 4. Use Template 15: "Free security audit"

Success Stories to Watch For

Good Signs:

  • 📈 Someone replies "this is exactly what we need!"
  • 📈 Someone asks detailed technical questions
  • 📈 Someone shares your post with their team
  • 📈 Someone volunteers to test without you asking
  • 📈 Someone offers to pay immediately (beta is free!)

Warning Signs:

  • 🚩 Everyone says "cool idea" but nobody signs up
  • 🚩 People ask about price but don't test
  • 🚩 Multiple "this is too expensive" comments
  • 🚩 Nobody asks technical questions (not engaged)
  • 🚩 Reddit posts get downvoted (<5 upvotes)

If you see warning signs: Pivot messaging, not product.

Key Documents Reference

For Direct Outreach:

📄 BETA_TARGET_LIST_STRATEGY.md - 20 DM templates - Targeting strategy - Tracking spreadsheet

For Reddit (Technical Audience):

📄 REDDIT_DEVOPS_POST.md - Post Thursday 8-10 AM EST - Technical deep-dive version - Expect 5-10 signups

For Reddit (Founder Community):

📄 REDDIT_SIDEPROJECT_POST.md - Post Saturday 9 AM-12 PM EST - Vulnerable & personal version - Expect 3-7 signups + advice

For Later (After Traction):

📄 HACKER_NEWS_SHOW_HN_POST.md - Wait 2-4 weeks - Need testimonials first - Expect 10-50+ signups if successful

For General Strategy:

📄 BETA_LAUNCH_PREP_GUIDE.md - Original beta launch checklist - Testing scenarios - Production readiness

Your Next 24 Hours (Action Plan)

Today (Wednesday Evening):

  1. Read REDDIT_DEVOPS_POST.md (15 mins)
  2. Read BETA_TARGET_LIST_STRATEGY.md (20 mins)
  3. Fill in 5 people you know (Tier 1) (20 mins)
  4. Set reminder for Thursday 8 AM EST (post on Reddit)

Tomorrow (Thursday):

  1. 8-10 AM EST: Post on Reddit r/devops
  2. 8 AM-10 AM EST: Stay online, answer every comment
  3. 11 AM EST: Send 5 DMs to Tier 1 (people you know)
  4. Throughout day: Monitor Reddit, respond to comments
  5. 5 PM EST: DM everyone who said "interested" on Reddit

Friday:

  1. Check Reddit responses
  2. Send 8 DMs to Tier 2 (warm connections)
  3. Post in 2 LinkedIn groups
  4. Count total signups (should have 5-8 by now)

Final Pep Talk

You've spent 4 months building CodeSlick.

Now you need 1 week to get 10 users.

You have everything you need: - ✅ 5 comprehensive documents (42,000+ words of strategy) - ✅ 40+ templates (DMs, posts, responses) - ✅ Step-by-step plans for each channel - ✅ Realistic expectations (18-35 signups expected)

What you need to do: 1. Thursday: Post on Reddit r/devops (2 hours) 2. Thursday-Friday: Send 13 DMs (2 hours) 3. Saturday: Post on r/SideProject (2 hours)

Total time investment: 6 hours over 3 days.

Expected result: 10-15 beta testers by Sunday.

One Last Thing: About "Co-Founder" vs "Founder"

If you're truly solo: Use "Founder" or "Solo Founder"

Why? - Authenticity matters more than perceived size - Solo founders are respected (Pieter Levels, Levelsio, etc.) - Using "Co-Founder" when solo = trust destroyed if found out

Update your LinkedIn to: - "Founder at CodeSlick" ✅ - "Founder & Developer at CodeSlick" ✅ - NOT "Co-Founder" if you're solo ❌

You've Got This! 🚀

Everything is ready. Now just execute.

Need help during the process? - Stuck on a response? Check the template docs - Low response rate? Try different channel - Feeling discouraged? Read r/SideProject posts for motivation

See you on the other side with 10 beta testers!

Last Updated: November 6, 2025, 22:30 CET Next Milestone: 10 beta testers by November 15, 2025 Status: Ready to launch 🚀