Build real connections with early supporters
You shared your idea. People signed up. You have their emails.
Now what?
Most creators make the same mistake here. They go quiet. They think the hard part is done. They'll reach out again when launch day comes.
Weeks pass. Maybe months. Then one day, an email lands: "Hey, remember me? I'm launching now. Buy my thing."
And they wonder why nobody responds.
Both paths start with the same signup. The destination is completely different.
These people are different
Let's be clear about who signed up for your idea.
They're not casual followers who double-tapped a photo. They're not random viewers who watched 3 seconds of your video. They saw something you're building, something that doesn't even exist yet, and they thought: I want to be part of this.
That's not nothing. That's actually rare.
Think about your own behavior online. How many things do you scroll past every day? How many "coming soon" pages do you ignore? Now think about the handful of times you actually stopped, clicked through, and gave someone your email.
You did that because something resonated. You believed in the person or the idea enough to take action.
Your early supporters did the same thing for you. They made a small commitment. Psychologically, they're now invested in your success. They want you to win.
Most creators don't realize what they have. They treat signups like numbers on a dashboard. But those numbers are people who already chose you. That's the starting point of something valuable, if you nurture it.
The journey from stranger to advocate
Someone signing up is not the end of the story. It's the beginning.
What happens next determines whether that person becomes a launch day buyer, a testimonial giver, someone who tells their friends about you... or someone who forgot they ever signed up.
Here's how the journey works:
Stranger → They discover you on social media. They're curious but skeptical. They don't know you yet.
Signup → Something clicked. They gave you their email. They're now paying attention, at least for a moment.
Engaged supporter → You keep them in the loop. They start to feel like insiders. They're rooting for you.
Fan → They trust you. They're excited for what you're building. They'll buy on day one.
Advocate → They tell others about you. They defend you online. They support your next project too.
This progression isn't automatic. Most signups never make it past the second stage. They signed up, heard nothing, and moved on with their lives.
The creators who build real audiences understand this. They treat the space between signup and launch as the most important part of the journey.
How to nurture the connection
You don't need a fancy email marketing strategy. You need to treat your early supporters like real people who are genuinely interested in what you're doing.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
Share your progress honestly
Not "coming soon!" with a rocket emoji. Real updates about what you're working on.
Show them the messy parts. The decisions you're struggling with. The features you scrapped. The breakthrough you had at 2am.
People love watching things get built. They want to see the journey, not just the polished result. Every update is a chance to deepen the connection.
Bring them behind the scenes
Screenshots of your work in progress. Voice notes about what you're thinking. Photos of your workspace. The tools you're using.
This feels vulnerable. That's the point. Vulnerability builds trust. It makes people feel like they know you.
Your early supporters don't want a press release. They want to feel like insiders.
Ask for their input
Here's something powerful: let them shape what you're building.
"I'm stuck between two directions. Which do you prefer?" "What's the biggest challenge you face with [your topic]?" "What would make this more useful for you?"
When people contribute ideas, they become invested in the outcome. They're not just waiting for your launch. They're part of it.
Plus, you get valuable feedback that makes your product better.
Celebrate milestones together
"We just hit 500 signups. I can't believe it." "Someone shared my page in a creator group and 50 people signed up in one day." "I finally finished the first module. Here's a sneak peek."
Notice the word "we." Your early supporters are on this journey with you. When you win, they win too.
Sharing milestones makes people feel like they're part of something growing. It creates momentum.
Give them early access
First look at a new feature. Beta access before anyone else. A discount code for being early.
Early access is a tangible reward for their trust. It says: you believed in me before anyone else, so you get something special.
This doesn't have to be complicated. Even a simple "here's a preview just for you" makes people feel valued.
What kills the connection
It's worth knowing what not to do.
Going silent for weeks. Every week of silence, people forget you a little more. By the time you email again, you're a stranger.
Only emailing when you want something. If every message is "buy this" or "share this," people tune out. Give before you ask.
Being too polished. Corporate-sounding emails feel impersonal. Write like you're talking to a friend who's interested in your project.
Treating them like a marketing list. They're not leads. They're not conversion metrics. They're people who chose to pay attention to you. Treat them accordingly.
The long game
Here's why this matters beyond your current launch.
Early supporters who feel genuinely connected don't just buy your first product. They become your foundation.
They leave testimonials that convince others. They share your work without being asked. They show up for your next project, and the one after that.
One truly connected supporter is worth a hundred passive signups. And the effects compound.
Someone who feels like they were "there from the beginning" has a different relationship with you than someone who discovered you after you were already successful. They're proud of being early. They tell that story to others.
This is how creators build careers, not just launches. Not through viral moments or growth hacks. Through genuine relationships with people who believe in them.
Start with the people you have
You don't need thousands of signups to start building connections. You can start with ten. With fifty. With however many you have right now.
Send them an update today. Tell them what you're working on. Ask them a question. Make them feel like they're part of this.
The relationship you build now determines the launch you'll have later. More importantly, it determines the kind of creator you'll become.
Your early supporters took a chance on you. Return the favor by treating them like the real people they are.
Ready to start capturing your early supporters?
Before you can build connections, you need a way to reach people directly. LaunchSoon helps you create beautiful, mobile-first pages that turn social traffic into an audience you can actually nurture.