How to find your first customers? (even if you have no experience)

How to find your first customers? Probably the most common question I get from those who want to start an online marketing business.

And rightly so… but after you sign the first client, the second client will come much easier, than the third client …

Today I want to show you 4 methods tested, which brought me the first clients.

Before we know how to find the first customers, a very important aspect (and ignored by many marketers) is the preparation process before starting the search and approach to potential customers.

In this step, it is important that you have developed everything related to the digital aspect of your services. The goal is for you to look professional and expert in the eyes of your potential customers.

Here’s what I mean.

Once you approach a potential customer, most will not make an immediate decision whether or not to work with you. Most of the time, it follows a process of analysis on your business.

The potential customer will do a search on Google, social networks, etc. to find out as much information about you and the services you offer as possible. If you are impressed by the “digital look” of your business, an example here would be the service presentation page, most likely you will continue the discussions started.

Suppose you have set up all the details of your online image.

Let’s see how you find your first customers.

I tell you from the beginning that it is not an easy process and you will receive many refusals, at least at the beginning. But as I said above, the first customer is the hardest to find, the next ones will come easier.

How do you find the first customer? Here are some practical methods:

1) Become visible in your circle of friends, and acquaintances.

The first step is to announce on all social channels that you have started your own business and that you can help with marketing services.

How do you do that? Once you’ve created your Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn page, invite all your friends to enjoy these pages.

To see how powerful this method is, I want you to know that my first 2 clients came from my circle of acquaintances. And it’s not just my case, I know a lot of marketing agency owners who, in their case, were the first customers to come from their circle of acquaintances.

Tip: I recommend that you make a special offer to acquaintances, especially if you are just starting out.

2) Be active in profile groups.

Profile groups are generally a great source of information for many people, but more importantly, they are a very effective communication channel.

How do you find your clients on profile groups? Simple, you respond to posts with requests for marketing services.

Here is a practical example:

If we take the Facebook group “Entrepreneurs from Romania” you will see that there are many posts in which an entrepreneur is looking for a marketing agency to collaborate with. What do you have to do? You guessed it, to respond to those requests and offer him your services.

Tip: If you have friends who are in that group, ask them to recommend you when they see such a post. This way, you make sure you don’t miss a post like this, but more importantly, it will increase that entrepreneur’s confidence in requesting your services.

3) Use social media.

Few marketing channels are more important than social media.

If you do not use Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram to increase the notoriety of your business, you will lose a lot of opportunities to gain customers.

You can start by joining a community on social media that focuses on the same niche in which you want to offer your marketing services.

Be active and answer questions there, and then use that community to build trust with potential customers.

Tip: Focus on involvement. For example, if you want to start promoting local businesses, open a topic in that community about the most challenging situations that local businesses go through when they want to promote themselves online. Then come with practical advice for them.

4) Ask existing customers to recommend you to other entrepreneurs.

I think it’s pretty clear what this step entails.

Obviously, this step applies after you have already had some successful collaborations. There is no stronger sales channel than direct recommendations from satisfied customers.

Tip: Entrepreneurs in the same niche, especially those with local businesses, know each other. If an entrepreneur is looking for a marketing agency to promote his business, he will first ask for recommendations from other entrepreneurs in his niche.

Have you tried these methods in your process of finding your first customers? If so, which one worked best?