1. Pick one buyer and one subject
"Students" is too broad. Choose a narrow slice, like parents of kids taking the SAT this spring, nursing students facing the NCLEX, or adults learning Spanish for a move. The buyer is whoever pays: often a parent for K-12, the learner for college and adult learning. Write one sentence: "I help [who] pass [what] by [when]."
2. Find people asking for help right now
Search Reddit for live pain in r/SAT, r/APStudents, r/Mcat, r/NCLEX, r/learnmath, r/languagelearning and r/Parenting. Try searches like "struggling with calculus" or "tutor too expensive" sorted by new. Do the same in local parent Facebook groups and on Nextdoor, where parents ask for tutor recommendations every week. Save every post from the last 30 days into a simple list.
3. Help first, then offer access
Answer the actual question in the thread with a useful explanation, no link. Then send a short DM: "Saw your post about the AP Chem unit 5 test. I'm building an AI tutor for exactly that and want 5 students to use it free for two weeks before the exam. Want in?" Expect most to ignore you. A few replies is enough to start.
4. Go through tutors and teachers
Independent tutors are turning students away and charge $40 to $100 an hour, so a cheaper practice tool between sessions helps them. Find them on Wyzant, Varsity Tutors profiles, Instagram and local tutoring Facebook groups. Message: "Your students could practice between sessions with my AI tutor, and you see their weak spots. Free for your students this month." One tutor can bring you 5 students.
5. Use your own network for warm intros
Text 20 people you know who have kids in middle or high school, or who teach. Keep it specific: "Do you know a parent whose kid is behind in algebra before finals? I'm giving free access to an AI tutor and want honest feedback." Warm intros convert far better than cold DMs at this stage.
6. Run the trial by hand
Onboard each user on a 15 minute call or video chat. Set one goal with them, like "raise the practice test score from 1150 to 1250." Check in every few days by text and ask what was confusing. Write down their exact words, because that becomes your future landing page copy.
7. Ask for money before the trial ends
Do not wait for it to feel ready. On day 10, say: "The free period ends Friday. It's $15 a month to keep going through the exam. Want me to send the link?" Use a Stripe payment link, no billing system needed. A parent paying $15 is a real signal. A free user saying "cool" is not.
8. Repeat daily and track it
Block one hour every day: 10 new helpful replies, 10 DMs, follow-ups with everyone in a trial. Track it in a spreadsheet with columns for name, source, stage and next action. Hulby, an AI cofounder, can find these conversations and draft the outreach for you every day if you want help keeping the pace.
Mistakes to skip
- Targeting "all students" instead of one exam, subject or grade.
- Dropping links in Reddit threads before helping, which gets you banned.
- Pitching the student when the parent is the one who pays.
- Giving unlimited free access with no date when payment starts.
Want this done for your AI tutor, every day?
Hulby finds the people asking for what you built, writes every reply and email, and keeps you on it until they pay. Free to start.
Find my first customersQuestions
Should I target parents or students?
Whoever holds the card. For under-18s that is usually the parent. For college, test prep and adult learners, it is the learner.
Do I need a polished product first?
No. It needs to solve one problem for one subject reliably. Manual check-ins can cover the gaps.
How much should I charge early on?
Pick a simple monthly price you can say without hesitating and test it. Getting a yes at any price matters more than optimizing now.
Are schools a good first customer?
Usually not. School purchases involve approvals and budget cycles. Start with parents, learners and independent tutors, then use their results to approach schools later.