The replies that survive share one structure: they answer the question completely as if the product did not exist, then mention it once, with a disclosure and a limitation, and stop. No call to action, no link unless the thread asked for one.
Example one: the alternative thread
Thread, r/SaaS: "Paying $400/mo for a status page and half of it is features we never use. Anything simpler?"
Reply: "Half of that is probably the incident management and on-call bits. If you only need the public page and email subscribers, a static page plus a cron ping gets you 80% of it for free, and the remaining 20% is where the small tools live. I make one of those (disclosure), but honestly check what your customers actually look at before you pay for anything."
Why it works: the first two sentences are the answer, and they include a free option. The mention is one clause with a disclosure and a "but".
Example two: the how-do-you-handle thread
Thread, r/smallbusiness: "Solo shop, 40 hours a week on the work itself. How do you do any marketing at all?"
Reply: "Pick one place your customers already ask questions and answer three a week, honestly, with your name on it. That beats a website redesign. I run a small tool that finds those questions for you (disclosure), but the three-a-week habit is the part that matters and you can do it with a phone."
Why it works: the advice stands alone. The product is framed as optional and the manual version is endorsed.
Example three: the thread that is not for you
Thread, r/startups: "Our marketing agency ghosted us. Anyone been through this?"
Reply: "Yes. Get your ad accounts and analytics transferred to your ownership today, before anything else, because access is the part that goes missing. Then write down what they were actually doing week to week; it is usually less than the invoice said."
No mention. This thread is a nine-of-ten, and it is why the tenth lands.
The structure
- Answer, fully, first.
- Disclose in the same sentence as the mention.
- Give a limitation or an alternative.
- Stop. No "happy to help", no link, no DM invitation.
What to avoid
Opening with "Great question." Listing features. Mentioning the product before the answer. Replying to threads where the product is not honestly the best answer. Writing the same reply twice.
Gorilla Desk drafts in this shape and holds the draft until you swipe, which is the fastest way to learn the shape yourself.