From Idea to First Customers

The Full Pipeline

This guide walks you through the entire journey from a raw idea to your first paying customers. Five phases, one day, zero hand-waving. Every prompt, template, and decision is documented so you can replicate it with your own idea.

Not every idea works for this pipeline. You need an idea that's buildable in bolt.new, targetable with cold email, and monetizable from day one. The guide includes a 5-Filter Framework to validate any micro-SaaS idea before you write a single prompt.

The 5-Filter Framework

Every idea must pass these five filters. If it fails any one, rethink the idea before building.

Quick Validation Checklist

If 5+ of these are checked, proceed to building. The full starter kit includes detailed worksheets and 6 pre-researched app ideas with scoring matrices.

bolt.new is an AI app builder that generates full-stack web apps from natural language prompts. The key is knowing how to prompt it effectively. The starter kit includes copy-paste ready prompts for every stage of the build, plus the complete TopReply.ai build as a worked example.

The Build Sequence

Follow this sequence — one concern per prompt, in this order. Mixing concerns (like adding features and design changes in the same prompt) is the number one cause of bolt.new generating broken code.

The Scaffold Prompt (Most Important)

Your first prompt determines 80% of the app. Give bolt.new five things upfront: what you're building, who it's for, core features (3-5 max), tech preferences, and brand direction. Do NOT include authentication, payments, or analytics in this first prompt.

Build me a [type of app] called "[App Name]" for [target user].

The core problem: [one sentence problem statement].

The app should:
1. [Core feature #1 — the main value proposition]
2. [Core feature #2 — supporting functionality]
3. [Core feature #3 — nice-to-have for V1]

Design direction:
- Clean, modern, minimal UI
- [Color palette or brand vibe]
- Mobile-responsive
- Professional enough that a business owner would trust it

Tech notes:
- Use React with Tailwind CSS
- Use a clean component structure
- No authentication needed for V1

5 Golden Rules for bolt.new Prompts

The UI Polish Checklist

After your core features work, run through this checklist for your polish prompt. Each item makes your app feel production-quality instead of a prototype:

bolt.new has built-in deployment to Netlify (one click). You can also deploy to Vercel with GitHub integration for better control. The key is: don't overthink it. Ship the thing and start getting it in front of people.

Post-Deployment Checklist

Recommended Tech Stack

Your app is live. Now you need to find the people who need it. This is where most builders get stuck — they built something great but have no idea how to reach potential customers. The answer is an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and a lead database.

What is an ICP?

Your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) is the specific type of person or business that:

ICP Worksheet

Fill in these three sections to define your ICP. The TopReply example is included in the starter kit as a worked reference.

Finding Leads with Instantly SuperSearch

Instantly SuperSearch is a B2B lead database with 450M+ verified contacts. Think of it as LinkedIn Sales Navigator meets a verified email database, built directly into the campaign platform. Here's how to set up your first search:

Job Titles:     Owner, General Manager, Marketing Director
Industry:       Restaurants & Food Service
Company Size:   1-50 employees
Location:       Austin, TX  (start local, expand later)
Has Email:      Yes

// Or use natural language:
"Find restaurant owners in Austin, Texas with fewer
 than 50 employees who have a Google Business Profile"

The ICP Hierarchy: Start Narrow, Expand

Don't blast 50,000 contacts on day one. Start narrow, validate your messaging, then expand:

You've built the app, found the leads, and now it's time to reach out. Cold email is the most scalable, cost-effective way to get your first customers for a micro-SaaS. The key is being helpful, not salesy.

Anatomy of a Cold Email That Gets Replies

The 4-Email Sequence

Each email has a different purpose. Don't repeat the same pitch four times — each touchpoint adds a new angle or piece of value.

Example: Email 1 Template

Here's the actual Email 1 template from the TopReply campaign in the starter kit. Notice how every variable ({{companyName}}, {{firstName}}) maps directly to data from Instantly SuperSearch:

Subject: {{companyName}}'s google reviews

Hi {{firstName}},

I was looking at {{companyName}}'s Google reviews — you've
got {{reviewCount}} reviews, which is great. But I noticed
most of them don't have a response from your team.

Responding to reviews actually boosts your local SEO ranking
and makes new customers 16% more likely to visit.

I built a tool that generates professional review responses
in seconds using AI. Would it be helpful if I showed you
how it works with your actual reviews?

— Brandon

Subject Line Formulas

Rules: lowercase, under 6 words, no emojis, no exclamation marks, no spam trigger words (free, guaranteed, limited time).

Campaign Launch Settings

These are the recommended settings when you launch your first Instantly campaign:

What to Watch (First 48 Hours)

Tools & Resources

Everything referenced in this guide, plus alternatives and learning resources. All tools listed have free tiers or free trials — you can build and launch without spending money on tools.

Key Takeaways