How do solid products get noticed once the launch hype is gone?

I’m asking this as a builder, not looking to promote anything.

I’ve built a product that actually works. It’s live, people use it, and a few even pay. Nothing viral, nothing explosive — just something solid that solves a real problem.

What I didn’t expect is how quiet everything gets after that.

No launch spike. No obvious moment where things “take off”. Just slow progress and very little external signal.

I’m deliberately not doing growth hacks, paid ads, or aggressive self-promotion. I’m also not chasing VC or hype cycles. I’m trying to understand something more basic:

For those of you who’ve been here before — what actually helped your product get noticed by the right people once it was already live but quiet?

Not “how to get more users fast”, but:

how did it start getting mentioned?

reviewed?

talked about outside your own bubble?

Was it writing? Direct outreach? Time and consistency? Something unexpected?

I’m genuinely curious about real experiences, not theory.

Thanks.