How I Got My First 5 Clients!
Starting a business is a rush, but there's a specific kind of "new founder" anxiety that hits when you realize you have everything ready—except for actual paying customers.
I’m currently building my own digital marketing service, and I’ve found a path that’s working surprisingly well. I wanted to share the exact strategy I used to unlock those first few clients without spending a dime on ads or cold-calling strangers.
1. Mine Your Existing Network
For your first 5 clients, stop looking at LinkedIn job boards or Google Ads. Look at your contact list.
The most effective way to get your foot in the door is to use whoever you already know. For me, that meant reaching out to a former employer at an accounting firm where I interned. Because there was already trust there, the conversation was easy. People who already know your work ethic are 10x more likely to give you a shot or point you in the right direction.
2. The "Non-Salesy" Script
One of the biggest mistakes founders make is being too "pushy" too fast. You don't want to corner your friends or former bosses and demand they buy from you.
Instead, try this:
“hey [name], how you been?”
[Continue the friendly convo until they say “So, what are you reaching out about?”]
Then say: "I’m starting this new service that helps [whatever your specific audience is and the problem it specifically solves]. Do you know anyone who might need help with something like this?"
By asking if they know someone, you’re removing the pressure. It’s way smarter. In my case, my former employer actually said, "Wait, we actually need help with that here!" Suddenly, the person I was asking for a referral became the client. Then before I knew it, that first client would reach out to other small businesses about my service too!
3. Keep Your Marketing "Fast and Scrappy"
Don’t spend weeks on a website before you have a client. I made my first flyer in five minutes on Canva.
Pro-Tip: If you live in a diverse area, make multiple versions. I made one in English and one in Spanish because I knew the accounting firm worked with a lot of Spanish-speaking small business owners. Being able to communicate fluently in a client's native language is a massive competitive advantage.
4. The Long Game: Referrals and Testimonials
Right now, I’m not focused on making a million dollars; I’m focused on building a "lifestyle business" so I can experience amazing activities across the globe while working on my laptop. Prioritize testimonials and case studies in the beginning.
If you deliver incredible results for those first five people, you get:
Social proof for your website.
Word-of-mouth marketing (which is the most powerful kind).
The ability to slowly increase your prices as you create scarcity.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Niche Down
Let’s be real: There are too much businesses to compete with. To survive, you have to niche down and dominate a very small specific group of people when starting out. Find a pocket of the market that hasn't been tapped yet. I love sales, marketing, and public speaking, so I’m looking for that specific intersection where I can provide value that a "general" agency can't. That’s where my technical knowledge of the intricacies of accountancy operations comes in to help.
The bottom line? Take the risk. I didn't think a simple text to a former boss would lead to anything, but it opened doors I didn't even know were there.
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