

Ask HN: How to promote a website, while keeping it a secret - az

I'm working on a website and I want to promote it to create buzzz before its ready to launch.<p>I printed business cards on vistaprint.com and handed them out to friends and strangers I meet to start up a conversation. On the business card I put a link to a Google Doc with a form for people to fill out their info so I can be in touch with them when the website is ready.<p><i>Maybe I put too many [required] fields on the 'sign-up' form, since I didn't get any response. How much info would you give? Just email or email name and city? (I want to know where people come from and Google doesn't give you Analytics on Docs)<p></i>Maybe people will not sign up for 'something-they-dont-know-about'. Would you?<p><i>Maybe I didn't offer something attractive enough?  Is 'Sign up to be a BETA user' not enough? (BETA users will have extra week or less before everyone else). Should I offer a sale for first 2K 'signer-uppers', such as 15-20% OFF first purchase?<p></i>Friend suggested I make a video to Youtube to spread a lot of buzz. Any other buzz ideas that are cheap? (I don't have a lot of money for advertising)<p>What would attract you to sign up for 'something-you-dont-know'?
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pbhjpbhj
_What would attract you to sign up for 'something-you-dont-know'?_

Nothing.

Perhaps cold hard cash.

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jacquesm
set up an invite only system, give out 10 invites and only allow people to
invite _one_ other person per day.

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az
What's an easy way to setup an invite only system?

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tokenadult
Just launch. Simply launch.

