Target a few hundred or a thousand key individuals, rather than millions
For example, Dropbox started its initial launch with an engaging demo video. People could sign up but had to wait to use it. Attract users with something ==novel and exciting==.
Similarly, in 2012, eBay partnered with Gogo to provide free Wi-Fi access to ebay.com during flights. The clever part was tracking data to determine whether it was beneficial to continue the partnership.
Don’t target everyone - focus on the right people
For instance, Uber provided free rides for years during the South by Southwest conference in Austin, attracting thousands of young, high-income tech enthusiasts.
Wishfully thinking that “the best way to attract users is to let the product speak for itself” (while Aaron Swartz believed that users must be attracted to come).