Ask HN: How to find a marketing co-founder?

I'm a developer, working on a (saas) project.

I know that at some point I will need help of marketing person, but I know only developers.

So how to find a marketing co-founder?

Any advice will be appreciated.

I am available for India:) You can use through multiple channels. 1. Spread the news in your network. Ask friends, family if they know anyone. 2. Linkedin is by far the best tool to find cofounder be it technical or marketing. Use advance search to narrow down your preference. 3. If you are looking for young fresher post advertisements on you blogs, website, job hunting websites etc. 4. Stroll down to a college and speak to people there if they would be interested. Discuss and interview them casually. 5. Use active methods like changing your heading on linkedin, facebook, twitter asking people if they are interested to take up role. 6. There are many website which will in cases like these. Explore.

You should not wait for the product to finish, better get a marketing guy now.

Talk to your developers, friends, etc. Tell them briefly what you are doing, and what sort of help you think you need. Keep it general - you're working on the technology side, you think you'd benefit from a trusted associate on the business side. But try to lean people's thinking away from MBAs - and away from sales or marketing communication - and more to market analysis.

Do you or your developer friends know people who have built businesses before? Talk to them.

No matter who you talk to, get used to saying something like "I really appreciate your time, who else do you think I should talk to? Do you have their number? Can I use your name?"

Also try to talk to the people who might use your service. Give them a brief overview of the problem you are trying to solve, let them tell you how it might or does not fit in to their world. Listen, and listen between the lines. Then do it again. If they seem interested, ask them how much such a service would save them in time, effort, or other forms of money.

Do NOT change your service based on one or even ten conversations, not until you understand the story between the lines. At least not right away.

If you need a sounding board, rather than a marketing associate, ask some of your trusted friends, technical and non-technical, if you can buy them drinks or dinner a couple of times a month and share what you've learned.

Practice duck testing (cf recent HN articles): You should be able to explain the idea and what you've heard from others to a rubber duck.

Could you give us some more information on your saas project? That might help figure out where to look.

What do you want your marketing cofounder to do?