Turning Early Adopters into Startup Champions

Early adopters are often described as the lifeblood of young startups. They sign up early, tolerate the testing stages, and provide valuable feedback.

However, many founders find that, despite early user adoption, growth remains slow. The missing link is usually the absence of champions.

Champions are users who speak about your startup when you are not in the room. They recommend it to people they know, share it publicly, and attach part of their identity to its success.

Getting there, though, takes more than a good product. It takes intentional action. Here’s how to get users from curious testers to proud advocates.

The Difference Between a User and a Champion

A user signs up because they need something. They try the product and may stick with it if it fits their routine. Their relationship with the product remains functional and largely private.

A champion relates to the product on a deeper level. They feel connected to the mission, the team, or the startup's story. Their engagement carries emotional weight. They discuss the product in conversations, recommend it to peers, and share it with their networks without prompting.

This shift occurs because users experience a sense of belonging, feel heard, appreciated, and involved. They move from participation to advocacy.

Step 1. Identify High-Potential Champions Early

Champion-building begins with recognition. The goal is to identify users who show early signs of engagement.

These signals often appear in small, observable behaviours:

• They log in often without reminders
• They send long, thoughtful feedback
• They ask what’s coming next
• They seem genuinely excited (or annoyed in a helpful way)

Track these people using a Notion table or a CRM (customer relationship management) tag.

At an early stage, founder awareness plays a central role. Knowing your users by name and behaviour builds the stronger relationships needed to create avid advocates.

Step 2. Bring Advocates Into the Circle

Once you identify high-potential champions, the next step is to assess their proximity. People advocate for what they feel connected to.

Inviting users closer can take many forms:

• Send a personal “thank you” for that bug report
• Let them into beta features early
• Ask for input before you ship
• Start a small user Slack or Discord group

Publicly acknowledging users who contribute ideas or insights strengthens the bond between user and product. These gestures signal that their participation is important to you and that their voice is valued.

Step 3. Make It Easy and Fun to Share

Advocacy grows when users experience moments that feel personal, thoughtful, and memorable. If you want users to talk about you, give them something to talk about.

Simple actions often create the strongest impact:

• Follow up with a friendly note after onboarding
• Send a voice message saying thanks (yes, seriously—it surprises people)
• Launch features that clearly connect to user suggestions
• Use clear, simple language so people can explain your value in one sentence

Create shareable milestones, referral links, and lightweight templates to support organic visibility. When users can easily explain why they care, they do it more often.

Moments of delight accumulate over time. Each positive interaction deepens the relationship and strengthens the likelihood of organic referrals.

Common Mistakes That Create Disengagement

Early adopters pay close attention to how startups respond to them. Here are some things to avoid:

• Asking for feedback and then ignoring it
• Being vague about timelines or updates
• Letting product issues drag on too long
• Responding defensively to criticism
• Treating users like free QA testers

If early adopters feel dismissed or undervalued, others will hear about it.

Start Early While Business is Still Personal

The best time to build vocal champions is when your user base is small. That’s when you can remember names, reply quickly, and build trust.

Founders who treat users like partners set themselves up for compounding word-of-mouth, product feedback, and loyal communities.

A simple question to ask yourself is: Who would speak positively about your startup today without being asked?

If a few names come to mind, you’re on the right track. If not, it may be time to start making those connections.