Taking the first step toward anything is always the hardest, and the same can be said for startups securing their first customers. Even if you have the most ingenious, groundbreaking idea, you don’t have a company until you have people willing to pay for your product or service.
Business management expert Amanda Webster knows a thing or two about helping startups as COO at Fund & Grow, a national lending program that connects entrepreneurs with funding. Webster specializes in launching new businesses at Fund & Grow, taking entrepreneurs from that initial seed idea to securing those all-important first customers.
“I love the whole American dream thing—that people can start their passions,” Webster says. “They can start small and build… I love being able to see that transition and that path, to watch people completely change their world and have not only money but freedom—the freedom to do what they want to do and develop their passion.”
During her 20-plus years working with and helping launch law firm startups, Webster has learned what it takes to earn those first key customers. Here are her four tips for how to find your initial clients—and keep them coming back.
1. Tap into the online world
The average American spends about seven hours per day online. Capitalizing on social media and internet search engines, and their seemingly boundless reach, is essential for every business. It’s also a low- or no-cost way to get your name out there. It’s free to set up accounts on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and it’s fairly affordable to budget for small campaigns to boost your searchability on Google.
“You should have a presence on every platform that’s available because you never know where your clients are hanging out,” Webster says. “Younger generations might be on Instagram and older on Facebook and LinkedIn. That’s free. Get that organic reach out there, and get it set up.”
Joining social media groups that make sense for your business can be a big boost. “There are thousands and thousands of Facebook groups out there for every industry,” Webster says. Those free groups could end up being the most valuable learning tools for your business.
Once you’ve made your social media entrance, create content to attract your customers. Make it easy for them to click that “follow” button by making your accounts an accurate extension of your company, which could include anything from service-oriented expert advice to humorous takes on your offerings.
2. Connect in real life
Once we get our noses out of our phones, though, face-to-face interactions can be very powerful. Webster suggests joining your local chamber of commerce, networking groups and other in-person meetings with low barriers to entry. “Go to those meetings; go and put yourself in that room,” she says. “Networking in this day and age is the key to your growth.”
Getting in those rooms will do multiple things for you—you’ll develop relationships with potential customers and with potential mentors, both of whom are essential to getting your business off the ground. And don’t get so focused on landing customers that you miss the opportunity to learn from mentors who’ve already done what you’re trying to do.
“There’s no amount of schooling or on-the-job experience that will give you exposure to people who have been successful in your lane,” Webster says. “The importance of having someone smarter than you is great. I never want to be the smartest person in the room, unless I’m the teacher. I want to be learning from everyone I’m interacting with at all times.”
3. Don’t overlook traditional advertising
Paying for advertising can be a good next step once you’ve done all the free things you can to get your company out there.
To make sure you’re not pouring money into a black hole, you need to be very specific about reaching your customers. Webster says to learn everything you can about them—who they are, where they might be hanging out and what they’re doing there. Then, you can best target them in a variety of ways.
“Advertising can mean many different things. It could be Google search ads, on social media, putting a sign up at a sports field,” she says. “If you’re national, it has to be online. If you’re local, it could be doctors’ offices; you could get a mobile billboard on your car! There are so many ways you can advertise, and it needs to happen.”
4. Write customer satisfaction into your business plan
Once you’ve attracted those initial customers, the best way to keep them is to make sure they’re happy. “Client success is the center of your entire universe,” Webster stresses. Whether you offer a product or a service, you should know exactly how you’re going to deliver on that offer so your clients will want to keep coming back.
One of the biggest mistakes Webster sees startups make is simply not developing a thorough business plan from the get-go. That lack of planning can impact how they attract and maintain customers. Instead of ensuring that the initial crop of customers is thrilled, they’re instead left disappointed. “Invest the time to develop that plan and process before you roll it out,” she says. “Cleaning up bad reviews and unhappy clients is much harder than putting in the work in the beginning.”
Your goal is for your customers to be so delighted with your product or service that they’re itching to write positive reviews and tell their friends. If they’re happy, not only will they become advocates for your business (hello, free advertising!), but they’ll also become repeat customers.
Photo by Liana Ricci/Courtesy of Amanda Webster
