Tony Hrvoic, Founder of Marhit, has successfully marketed more than 10 SaaS products on Product Hunt, consistently landing the top #1 spot — Product of the Day, Week, and even Month.
The results speak for themselves:
- 3,200+ upvotes;
- #1 Product of the Day, Week, and Month;
- Revenue growth almost overnight.
For those unfamiliar with Product Hunt, it’s a 24-hour competition where users vote for their favorite new products. The product with the most upvotes by the end of the day wins. Companies like Loom, Notion, and Superhuman all launched here, making it a crucial platform for tech product debuts.
Tony Hrvoic
While there’s no shortage of advice on how to win on Product Hunt, Tony Hrvoic has found that most of it is just noise. Through extensive experience, he has developed a proven strategy that almost guarantees a win — when executed correctly.
A Strong DM Strategy
Contrary to popular belief, blasting your launch across social media or forums isn’t the key to success on Product Hunt. According to Tony Hrvoic, the real magic happens in one-on-one conversations — specifically, through direct messaging (DMs). The trick is identifying the right people to ask for support — those who are active and engaged on Product Hunt and genuinely motivated to help.
However, randomly cold messaging strangers doesn’t work. Instead, Tony focuses on building a list of people who meet two important criteria:
- Active Product Hunt users, whose upvotes won’t trigger bot suspicion.
- Motivated supporters, who will be inclined to return the favor when asked.
Tony Hrvoic’s 4-8 Week Playbook for Securing #1 on Product Hunt
To consistently hit #1, Tony uses a straightforward but powerful method that takes only 15 minutes per day. This process begins 4-8 weeks before the actual launch. Here’s the strategy:
- Visit Product Hunt daily, upvoting and commenting on the top 5 products.
- Track down the makers of each product on LinkedIn.
- Send a DM congratulating them on their launch and letting them know they have his support (using a specific template).
- Ask for their support when it’s his turn to launch.
Here’s the DM Template Tony Hrvoic Uses:
"Hey [Name]! Loved your Product Hunt launch today — I upvoted and shared it with my team, and we gave you a few votes and comments. I’m launching my own product next [week/month], and I’d love your support when I go live. Would you be down to help?"
This simple, direct approach works wonders. Over the course of a few months, Tony has built a list of over 500 people using this method. On launch day, he simply revisits his LinkedIn chat history and reconnects with previous makers, asking for their support. It’s a lot of groundwork, but it’s proven to be incredibly effective.
Why this strategy works so well?
- Makers need support: Product Hunt is a 24-hour competition, and every upvote makes a difference. Makers appreciate support on their launch day and view Tony Hrvoic as an ally.
- Reciprocity matters: When the time comes to ask for help, makers remember who supported them. No one wants to appear ungrateful, so they’re more likely to return the favor.
- High-quality upvotes: Makers are often some of the most active users on Product Hunt, and their upvotes carry more weight in the algorithm, giving your product an extra boost.
Bonus: The snowball effect
After a few weeks of using this strategy, something incredible happens — makers begin reaching out to Tony Hrvoic for support, without even being prompted. This not only deepens connections but also saves time, as the network starts growing organically.
Additional tips for a successful Product Hunt launch
- Create a compelling tagline: A product's tagline is crucial. It should be clear, specific, and immediately convey the value of the product. For example, when launching "Marketing Ideas," Tony used, “Never run out of marketing ideas ever again,” a tagline that directly addresses the problem and benefit.
- Pick the right launch day: Timing is everything. If the goal is to win and secure the #1 spot, launching on a weekend — Friday, Saturday, or Sunday — works well due to less competition. On the other hand, if traffic and visibility are important, launching between Monday and Thursday is ideal when the platform is busier.
- Make the most of your current audience: Having an established audience can significantly boost a launch’s success. Once a product starts climbing the ranks, social proof kicks in, and new users are more likely to join in and upvote.
Conclusion
Tony’s success on Product Hunt isn’t just about clever tactics — it’s about building real, human connections. By focusing on one-on-one DMs with active, motivated Product Hunt users, he’s created a powerful support network that’s helped launch his products to the top.
His 4-8 week playbook is simple but effective: daily engagement, finding key influencers, and nurturing genuine relationships. But what sets Tony apart is the authenticity behind his approach. By offering genuine support to other makers early on, he positions himself as a true ally. When it’s his turn to launch, those same people are eager to return the favor. This back-and-forth not only boosts his product’s visibility but also creates a tight-knit community of like-minded creators, all cheering each other on.
For anyone looking to launch on Product Hunt, the blueprint is clear: start early, build real connections, and create a support network that genuinely wants to see you succeed.
