How I Got My First Sale Before Launch.
I made my first sale for bot4U before the product was even launched. No public launch.\ No fancy marketing campaign.\ No paid ads. Just building in public and...
I made my first sale for bot4U before the product was even launched.
No public launch.
No fancy marketing campaign.
No paid ads.
Just building in public and sharing the journey consistently.
Here’s exactly how it happened.
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The Beginning of My Journey
It all started with a project called CodeINN.
At first, it was just a side project — something I built to experiment and learn.
Over time, I realized it had the potential to become a real product that people could use.
That decision changed everything.
I started researching:
- deployment
- authentication
- payments
- infrastructure
- production best practices
I had no mentor guiding me.
So I used ChatGPT as my mentor.
Whenever I got stuck, I asked questions, explored different approaches, and then implemented the best solution.
This process taught me more than any course ever could.
Launching CodeINN — and Failing
Eventually, I launched CodeINN.
It was an AI coding application inspired by StackBlitz’s bolt.new.
I posted about it once on:
- X
And then… nothing.
The launch was cold.
People appreciated the project, and I received some stars on GitHub, but it didn’t gain meaningful traction.
At the time, it felt like a failure.
Why That Failure Was Important
Although CodeINN didn’t take off, it gave me something far more valuable:
Experience.
I learned:
- how to build production-ready applications
- how to launch products
- how difficult distribution really is
- how important marketing is
Most importantly, it gave me confidence that I could build real software.
That confidence pushed me to keep going.
Finding the Idea for bot4U
After months of researching ideas, I finally found one that felt worth pursuing.
That idea became bot4U.
I validated the concept, researched the market, identified the target audience, and created a simple waitlist page.
People started signing up.
That was the first signal that the idea resonated.
What Is bot4U?
bot4U is an AI chatbot platform.
It allows businesses to add an AI chatbot to their website in just three simple steps.
Think of it as:
Chatbot-as-a-Service.
Instead of building an AI assistant from scratch, users can set up a fully functional chatbot quickly and easily.
The Tech Stack Behind bot4U
Building bot4U also gave me an opportunity to learn new technologies.
I used:
- Next.js for the frontend
- Hono for the backend
- Supabase for the database
- Cloudflare for backend deployment
- Vercel for frontend deployment
The project helped me deepen my understanding of modern full-stack development.
The Best Decision I Made: Building in Public
This was the turning point.
I started sharing my journey publicly on X as part of my “Self Growth Challenge.”
Every day, I posted:
- progress updates
- wins
- failures
- lessons learned
In the beginning, almost nobody responded.
Most posts received little to no engagement.
But I kept posting.
Over time:
- people started noticing
- founders began following me
- creators reached out
- mentors offered encouragement
Slowly, I built trust.
How I Got My First Sale Before Launch
One day, someone who had been following my journey decided to become my first customer.
The product was not even officially launched.
There was no launch event.
No product hunt campaign.
No ads.
Just trust built through consistent sharing.
That was the moment I realized something powerful:
People don’t only buy products. They buy from people they trust.
What I Learned
This experience taught me three important lessons.
1. Build Real Products
The best way to learn is by solving actual problems.
2. Share Your Journey
Consistency builds credibility.
3. Trust Converts
When people see your progress over time, they are more likely to support you.
Final Thoughts
If you’re waiting for the perfect idea, the perfect mentor, or the perfect time to start, stop waiting.
Start building today.
Use AI as your mentor.
Ship projects.
Share your journey publicly.
Keep going even when nobody seems to notice.
Because sometimes, your first customer is already watching.
About Me
I’m Abhishek (mscode07) — developer and indie hacker.
I write about Web3, SaaS, and building in public.
Feedback
I’m continuously improving as a writer and builder.
If you have honest feedback, I’d love to hear it.