How to Get Your First Five Customers

Getting clients when you’re just starting out is tough. You feel like you have something valuable to offer, but nobody really knows you yet. No one is Googling your name. And there’s no client list to show off.

That’s where I was when I launched my digital marketing and website design agency.

But even without a big audience or referrals, I landed my first five clients by using three strategies that you can apply to your own business today. Whether you're in marketing, consulting, design, or any service-based business, these approaches still work.

More importantly, each of these strategies had one thing in common. Nearly every person I spoke to checked out my website first.

They didn’t just take my word for it. They wanted to see if I looked legit. If I knew what I was talking about. If they could trust me.

And my website did the heavy lifting.

Let’s walk through the three strategies I used, and how they brought in real, paying clients.

1. I reached out to people I already knew

This might sound obvious, but I didn’t start with strangers. I started with friends, past classmates, former coworkers, even a few family members.

I messaged people directly and told them what I was offering. I kept it simple.

Something like, “Hey, I just launched my digital marketing business. We help companies build websites that attract and convert more customers. Do you know anyone who might need this?”

Some people said they’d think about it.

Others actually introduced me to someone they knew.

And a few said, “That sounds like something we need ourselves.”

One of my first clients was actually a longtime friend. We built a website for his business and helped him set up paid ads to bring in more customers.

Why this worked:

People already trusted me. There was no need to convince them I was serious. And if they didn’t need the service themselves, they were happy to refer someone who did.

If you’re just starting out, this is the best place to begin.

Pick 10 to 20 people in your network. Message them individually. Be clear about what you do and who you help. And include a link to your website so they can see the quality of your work.

Your goal is not to “sell” them. Just let them know what you’re doing and ask if they know someone who might need help.

That one question alone can unlock real leads.

2. I ran my own ads

After I picked the low-hanging fruit, I needed a way to reach more people. So I created a short video ad and ran it on Facebook and Instagram.

The ad was targeted at small business owners in my country. It promoted a free marketing audit for businesses looking to improve their websites or generate more leads through online marketing.

I set a modest daily budget and let the ad run for two weeks.

I didn’t expect much. But here’s what happened.

Over 100 people submitted their information. Out of those, about 60 percent were serious leads. Some were ready to talk right away. Others needed more time.

I focused on those who booked a call on my calendar because that showed intent.

Two of them became clients.

And quite a few others are still in our pipeline today.

What made the biggest difference?

The landing page. It was simple, professional, and built to convert. It explained what we offered, showed examples of our work, and made it easy to book a call.

The automated messages we set up helped too. Every time someone submitted their details, they got an instant reply with a link to book a consultation. That saved me a lot of time.

If you're thinking of running ads, you don’t need a huge budget. But you do need a clear offer, a well-defined audience, and a landing page that builds trust.

Your ad gets attention. Your website does the convincing.

3. I sent cold emails

The third strategy was cold outreach.

I looked up businesses in industries I wanted to work with. Tourism, hospitality businesses. I searched for companies with websites that were outdated or missing entirely.

Then I crafted short, personalized emails.

Each email had three parts:

1. A personal introduction

2. A comment on something specific I noticed

3. A simple invitation to connect

One example: “Hi, I came across your website and really liked your brand. I did notice your site isn’t optimized for mobile, which could be costing you some customers. I help businesses like yours improve their website experience and turn more visitors into clients. Would you be open to a quick call to discuss?”

Out of over 1000 emails I sent, around half were opened. A few responded. And one of those turned into one of our biggest clients.

That’s the power of showing up at the right time.

Cold emails don’t always work fast. But when they do, the results can be huge.

If you want to try this, start small. Pick 30 to 50 businesses you’d love to work with. Study them. See what they’re missing. Then write to them like a real human offering genuine help.

The key is to make it feel like you wrote the email just for them. Because you did.

Oh, and yes. They will check your website. So make sure it’s solid before you hit send.

Here’s the real takeaway

All three strategies worked. But they didn’t work alone.

They worked because the moment someone got interested, they went to my website.

They saw a clean, professional site that clearly explained who we help, what we do, and how to get started. They saw examples of work and testimonials. They saw that we’re real.

That’s what gave them the confidence to say yes.

Whether someone hears about you through a friend, an ad, or an email, your website is where they go to decide.

If it looks sketchy or confusing, they’ll leave.

If it looks credible, clear, and customer-focused, you’re in the game.

Want to turn your website into your best salesperson?

That’s exactly what we help business owners do.

If you're looking to get more clients, and you know your current website isn’t doing the job, visit igabusiness.com You’ll see how we build websites that attract and convert leads across East Africa and beyond.

We’ve helped others do it. We can help you too.