Raising money without traction: hype, hustle, and vision

Let’s face it—raising money when you don’t have traction feels like convincing someone to invest in an invisible unicorn. You don’t have users, your product might still be in the oven, but hey, you need that cash to bring your vision to life! So how do you get investors to throw money at your idea when you’ve got no numbers to back it up? Simple. You sell them the dream.

Here’s the inside scoop on how to raise money with zero traction and a whole lot of potential.

Investors don’t need traction—They need a good story

At the pre-seed stage, investors know you’re probably not rolling in users. And believe it or not, they’re okay with that. What really gets them excited isn’t the fact that you’ve got a killer app in the works, but whether you’ve got a killer plan. Investors like Hustle Fund’s Eric Bahn stress that what they really want to see is your thesis for traction—basically, your blueprint for how you’ll go from zero to hero. For more insights on how investors evaluate early-stage startups, check out Eric’s full take on the subject here.

Think of it this way: They’re not investing in what you have now; they’re investing in what you’re going to create. You just need to convince them you know the difference between a side project and a future money-making machine. Here’s how you make it happen.

1. Your go-to-market strategy: More than “It’ll go viral”

Every founder thinks their product is so cool it’ll go viral overnight. Spoiler alert: it won’t. But that’s okay! What investors want to see is that you’ve got a real plan to get your product into the hands of users.

You need a solid Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy that shows exactly how you’ll target your audience and get them hooked. Say something like, “We’re building a sales team to target mid-size companies in the fintech space.” That’s way better than, “Our product is so good, it’ll sell itself.” Pro tip: It won’t.

2. Pre-launch hype: Make them want it before they can have it

You don’t need traction to generate buzz. In fact, you can create hype before you even launch. GrowthMode outlines brilliant pre-launch marketing strategies that can get people buzzing about your product long before it hits the market. Building anticipation not only shows investors there’s interest, but also helps to create an early audience for your product. Read more about how to build pre-launch buzz here.

Here’s how to create FOMO for something that hasn’t even hit the market yet:

• Tease like a pro: Use social media, emails, and a killer website to tease what’s coming. Sneak peeks, teaser videos, and mysterious countdowns are your friends.
• Waitlists are your secret weapon: Build a waitlist and make people feel special for signing up. Throw in some exclusive content or early access offers.
• Get influencers on board: Team up with influencers to spread the word. People love hearing about cool new things from people they already trust.
• Content is king: Be the authority in your space by publishing valuable content that hints at your awesome upcoming product.

3. Show the problem, sell the solution

Okay, so you don’t have users yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t show there’s a market hungry for your product. Hit investors with cold, hard facts. Use stats, trends, and pain points to show that your product solves a real problem people will pay to fix.

For example:
“We’ve identified that 65% of SMBs struggle with customer retention, costing them an average of $50,000 annually. Our solution will cut that churn rate in half.”

Boom. You’ve just demonstrated market demand without needing a single customer.

4. Social proof: Hype by association

Even if you don’t have users, you can still flex some credibility. Ever heard of social proof? It’s where early adopters, press mentions, or influencer shoutouts give your product that shiny, "people are talking" glow.

Got early partnerships? Maybe a notable figure gave you a nod on LinkedIn? Highlight it. Did your teaser campaign get featured in a cool tech blog? Throw that into your pitch deck like confetti.

5. Don’t fake it, own it

If you don’t have traction, don’t pretend you do. Investors can smell a bluff from a mile away. What they appreciate more is honesty—and a clear roadmap. Be upfront about where you are and show a detailed timeline of your next steps.

Tell them when you’ll launch your MVP, when you’ll do beta testing, and how you’ll scale post-funding. Confidence + transparency = investor trust.

Wrap-up: Selling the dream, not the now

Raising money without traction? Easy—it’s all about getting investors to fall in love with the future you’re building, even if it doesn’t exist yet. Sell them on the potential, the buzz, and the iron-clad plan you’ve got to make it all happen.

So, put together that Go-to-Market strategy, start building hype before you even launch, and show investors you’ve got what it takes to turn your vision into a reality. They’ll be throwing money your way faster than you can say “pre-seed.”