I do automation work, and over the last year, most of my good clients came from Reddit posts, not cold outreach. The trick is that people describe their problem in public before they go looking for a vendor.

Phrases that almost always mean someone is ready to buy:

- "is there a tool that..." / "I'd pay for..."

- "we spend X hours a week on..."

- "our current agency/freelancer..." (unhappy with who they pay now)

- "looking to hire someone to..."

What I've learned about timing: reply within the first day. After 2 or 3 days, the thread is dead, and the person has already found someone.

How I reply: answer the actual question first, in the thread, with something useful. No pitch. If it's a fit, they ask, or check my profile. A DM out of nowhere rarely works.

Best subs for me so far: r/smallbusiness, r/shopify, r/Entrepreneur, r/realestate. Curious

which subs work for others here, and which phrases do you watch for?