There is a way that has worked for established companies like Ariba, Quora, etc. It has also worked for me to some extent. (I also got a response to cold email

There is a way that has worked for established companies like Ariba, Quora, etc. It has also worked for me to some extent. (I also got a response to cold emails that I sent to ariba and few other founders). 1. Fake one side of it : This should be applicable to most marketplaces but not all. For ex, you can fake the users who answer questions on Quora. 2. Fake both sides : This is a bit extreme but definitely a practice used. For ex, fake users asking questions and fake users answering on quora. This basically starts to create momentum validating it for new users. 3. Content : Content is a new way to solve this. This is something I have tried first hand. Create a blog on the same domain. Start creating content that explains your marketplace and starts to attract both sides of your marketplace. You can also strategize so that you start attracting the heavier side of users first( ex : buyer/seller case. If you have buyers you will end up having sellers soon). One really important note is to see the cause and effect of your marketplace. Which side of marketplace will be easier to build if you have the other built. Hope it helps, All the best !!