Many founders think they have nothing to show investors until money comes in. That isn’t true. Here are the signs of traction before revenue that pre-seed investors take seriously, and how to present them.
What counts as traction
Traction is evidence that people want what you are building. Before revenue, that can be:
- Usage. People signing up and coming back.
- A waitlist. Especially one that grew without paid ads.
- Pilots. Businesses trying your product, even for free.
- Letters of intent. Written interest from potential customers.
- Pre-orders or deposits. Money committed before launch.
- Customer conversations. Interview notes that show a real, painful problem.
Some signals are stronger than others
A paid pilot beats a free one. A user who comes back every week beats ten who signed up once. A waitlist that grew from a single post beats one built with ads. Lead with the strongest signal you have.
Show the trend
One number on its own is hard to judge. Show how it is moving: “Waitlist grew from 120 to 480 in six weeks” or “Weekly active users up 15% a month since March.” Small numbers look strong when they are clearly growing.
Be specific about who
“Lots of interest” doesn’t mean much. “Three independent pharmacies in Leeds are piloting it” does. Named customer types, places and real quotes make your traction believable.
Keep a simple tracker
Pick the one number that best shows people want your product and record it every week in a spreadsheet. When an investor asks how things are going, you will have an honest answer straight away, and it keeps you focused on what matters.
Things to avoid
- Counting sign-ups as customers.
- Mixing up page views and users.
- Hiding numbers that went down. Investors respect founders who know what is not working and why.
Ready to share yours?
Showing traction before revenue is enough at pre-seed. You don’t need revenue to apply for funding with Getfund-startup. Apply in one sitting, or save your spot and add your traction later.
