ph-hunter-finder skill

---
name: ph-hunter-finder
description: Find and approach top Product Hunt hunters. Use this skill to identify potential hunters for your product, evaluate if you need one, and craft effective outreach.
---

# Product Hunt Hunter Finder

This skill helps you decide whether to work with a hunter and how to find and approach the right one for your product.

## When to Use This Skill

- Deciding between self-hunt vs. hunter
- Identifying potential hunters
- Crafting hunter outreach
- Evaluating hunter fit

## The Self-Hunt Reality

### Key Statistics
- **79%** of featured products are self-hunted
- **60%** of #1 Product of the Day winners were self-hunted
- Product Hunt officially encourages self-hunting

### When to Self-Hunt (Recommended)
- You have an existing audience
- You're active on Product Hunt
- You want full control
- You're building long-term PH presence
- First-time launch (learn the process)

### When to Consider a Hunter
- You have zero PH presence
- Hunter has perfect niche alignment
- Hunter offers genuine mentorship
- You want external accountability
- Hunter's audience matches your target

## Hunter vs Maker Comparison

| Aspect | Self-Hunt (Maker) | External Hunter |
|--------|-------------------|-----------------|
| Control | Full control | Shared control |
| Relationship | Direct with audience | Intermediated |
| Learning | Learn the platform | Guided experience |
| Followers | Your followers | Their followers |
| Long-term | Build your presence | One-time benefit |
| Cost | Free | Often free, sometimes paid |

## Finding Potential Hunters

### Method 1: Product Hunt Leaderboard

1. Visit Product Hunt
2. Look at top launches in your category
3. Note who hunted them
4. Check hunter's profile and history

### Method 2: Top Hunter Lists

**Consistently Active Hunters:**
- Kevin William David (@kevin) - 3,470+ products hunted
- Chris Messina (@chrismessina) - 700+ coaching calls
- Ryan Hoover (@rrhoover) - Founder, 840+ products
- Flo Merian (@fmerian) - Developer tools focus
- Alex Vokis (@byalexai) - AI products
- Rohan Gilkes (@rohanrecommends) - Active hunter

### Method 3: Niche-Specific Search

1. Search PH for products like yours
2. Find top performers in your category
3. Identify who hunted them
4. Check if hunter specializes in your niche

### Method 4: Community Connections

- Product Hunt discussions
- Indie Hackers community
- Twitter/X maker community
- Startup events

## Evaluating a Hunter

### Good Signs ✓
- Active on Product Hunt recently
- Hunts products similar to yours
- Has engaged followers (not just numbers)
- Genuinely interested in your product
- Offers real feedback/guidance
- No fee required

### Red Flags ✗
- Inactive for months
- Hunts random products with no focus
- Asks for payment upfront
- No genuine interest in your product
- Promises guaranteed results
- Wants to hunt without understanding

## Hunter Outreach

### Before Reaching Out
- [ ] Have a working product
- [ ] Have clear product assets
- [ ] Researched the hunter's interests
- [ ] Prepared to explain why them

### Outreach Template
```
Subject: Would you consider hunting [Product]?

Hi [Hunter Name],

I've been following your hunts on Product Hunt,
especially [specific product they hunted] which
caught my eye because [reason].

I'm building [Product] — [one-line description].

I think it might interest you because:
• [Reason 1 related to their interests]
• [Reason 2 showing product quality]

[Brief traction if any: users, notable feedback, etc.]

Would you be open to taking a look? I'd value your
feedback even if hunting isn't the right fit.

[Link to product/demo]

Thanks for your time,
[Your Name]
```

### What Hunters Look For
- Product quality and readiness
- Clear value proposition
- Professional presentation
- Genuine maker passion
- Realistic expectations
- Respectful approach

### What Turns Hunters Off
- Incomplete products
- Unclear what it does
- Entitlement attitude
- Asking without research
- Pressure tactics
- Payment offers (against guidelines)

## Working With a Hunter

### If They Agree

**Discuss:**
- Launch date preference
- Asset requirements
- Review of listing
- Launch day coordination
- Communication during launch

**Provide:**
- All necessary assets
- Product access
- Key talking points
- Quick response availability

**Maintain:**
- Professional communication
- Timely responses
- Openness to feedback
- Gratitude

### Hunter's Role

**They Will:**
- Post your product
- Their followers get notified
- May provide feedback on assets
- Amplify through their network

**They Won't:**
- Guarantee upvotes
- Guarantee ranking
- Replace your own efforts
- Handle all marketing

## Alternative: Hunter as Advisor

Even without officially hunting, valuable hunters can:
- Review your listing
- Provide strategic feedback
- Share from their account
- Connect you with others

This mentorship can be more valuable than just the hunt.

## The Paid Hunter Question

### Official Stance
Product Hunt guidelines discourage paying for hunts.

### Reality
Some hunters charge, but consider:
- Best hunters hunt for free (they're selective)
- Paying doesn't guarantee results
- Could violate community trust
- Better to invest in product quality

### Recommendation
Focus on making your product so good that hunters want to hunt it for free.

## Building Your Own Hunting Power

### For Future Launches

Instead of relying on hunters, build your own presence:

1. **Create PH Account** now
2. **Engage genuinely** with other products
3. **Leave thoughtful comments**
4. **Build follower base** organically
5. **Support other makers**
6. **Become a hunter yourself**

Benefits:
- Full control over future launches
- Direct relationship with audience
- Compounding reputation
- No dependency on others

## Hunter Finder Checklist

### Decision Phase
- [ ] Evaluated self-hunt vs. hunter
- [ ] Understood what hunters actually provide
- [ ] Set realistic expectations

### Research Phase
- [ ] Listed 5-10 potential hunters
- [ ] Checked their recent activity
- [ ] Verified niche alignment
- [ ] Noted their hunting history

### Outreach Phase
- [ ] Personalized message for each
- [ ] Product is ready to show
- [ ] Clear value proposition
- [ ] Respectful approach

### Working Together
- [ ] Agreed on launch date
- [ ] Provided all assets
- [ ] Established communication plan
- [ ] Maintained professional relationship

## Output Format

```
HUNTER STRATEGY FOR: [Product Name]

RECOMMENDATION: [Self-Hunt / Seek Hunter]
Reasoning: [Why this recommendation]

IF SEEKING HUNTER:

Top Candidates:
1. [Name] (@handle)
   - Why: [Reason for fit]
   - Recent activity: [Status]
   - How to reach: [Method]

2. [Name] (@handle)
   - Why: [Reason for fit]
   - Recent activity: [Status]
   - How to reach: [Method]

3. [Name] (@handle)
   - Why: [Reason for fit]
   - Recent activity: [Status]
   - How to reach: [Method]

OUTREACH PLAN:
- Priority order: [1, 2, 3]
- Timing: [When to reach out]
- Fallback: [Self-hunt if no response]

PREPARED MATERIALS:
- [ ] Outreach message drafted
- [ ] Product demo ready
- [ ] Assets prepared
```