You and another product share the same audience but don't compete
Find a non-competing product with the same audience. You promote them to your users, they promote you to theirs. Free distribution.
When to use
You know complementary products that share your audience but don't compete with you.
Hypothesis template
If we cross-promote with [partner product] to each other's [X] users, we'll get [target] new signups because the recommendation comes from a trusted source.
Method
The problem: You need more users but can't afford ads. There are products your users already use that aren't your competitors.
What works: Find a product that shares your audience but doesn't compete. Agree to promote each other: in-app mentions, email swaps, social shoutouts, or co-created content.
The result: Cross-promotions from trusted brands convert 5-10x better than cold ads because the recommendation comes from a product the user already trusts.
How to do it:
- List 10 products your users already use alongside yours
- Reach out to founders: "Our users overlap but we don't compete. Want to cross-promote?"
- Agree on format: email mention, in-app banner, co-hosted webinar, or social swap
- Create a custom landing page for their audience with relevant messaging
- Track: signups from each partner, quality of partner-sourced users
- If it works, make it ongoing
Key insight: The best cross-promotions feel like recommendations, not ads. "Hey, we use [partner] and think you'd love it" from a trusted product is incredibly effective.
Success metrics
- •Signups from partner
- •Cost per acquisition (should be $0)
- •Partner-sourced user retention
- •Repeat promotion effectiveness
Prerequisites
- A complementary product willing to swap
- A custom landing page for partner traffic
- A way to track partner-sourced signups
Common pitfalls
- •Promoting a product you don't actually use or believe in
- •Not tracking results per partner
- •Doing a one-off instead of building a relationship
- •Promoting to the wrong audience segment
Source: Common indie hacker pattern. Cross-promotions from trusted products convert 5-10x better than cold ads.
Suggested ICE scores
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