The First 100 framework
The First 100 section of Z2X is a purpose-built CRM and outreach tool for landing your first 100 paying customers. It's built specifically for the direct, founder-led selling that works in the zero-to-one stage.
Why "First 100"?
Your first 100 customers are different from customers you'll acquire at scale:
- They buy because of you, not because of marketing
- They give you honest feedback that shapes the product
- They become your evangelists if the product solves their problem
- They prove you have something real — to yourself, to investors, to future hires
The tactics that get you to 100 customers are not the tactics that get you to 1,000. The First 100 section is optimised for direct outreach, personal relationships, and manual follow-up — not marketing automation.
The First 100 process
1. Source map
Before you reach out to anyone, you need to know where your target customers actually are. The First 100 Source Map agent identifies:
- Specific online communities (subreddits, Slack groups, Discord servers, forums)
- Offline venues (conferences, meetups, local groups)
- Trusted curators (newsletters, podcasters, Twitter/X accounts they follow)
- Adjacent networks (people who know your target customers)
This is the foundation of the First 100 approach. Don't skip it.
2. Find prospects
Using the source map, add real people to your prospect list:
- Copy profile URLs from communities where your customers hang out
- Add contacts you already know who fit the ICP
- Export attendee lists from events
3. Draft outreach
For each prospect (or segment), the Growth Hacker agent drafts a personalised cold outreach message. You review and approve each draft before it's ready to send.
Good First 100 outreach:
- Is short (< 100 words)
- References something specific about them or their context
- Asks for a conversation, not a sale
- Comes from a real person (you), not a company
4. Send and track
Mark prospects as Contacted when you send. Track responses and update status:
- Interested → book a call
- Not interested → note why (this is valuable feedback)
- No response → follow up once after 5–7 days
5. Convert
After conversations, track who becomes a customer. The goal is 100 paying customers — not sign-ups, not free users.
Integration with your plan
If your Z2X Path includes a "First 100" phase, the agents in that phase will automatically populate your prospect list with source map outputs and draft outreach for your review.
You can also use First 100 independently — it doesn't require a Z2X Path to be active.