New Service Businesses Can't Land Their First Client

Awesome job man! [re: My first client]

“Literally nothing 😭 [re: I want to start a business but have 0 connections, or idea where to begin. Where do I start?]”

“This is exactly the answer I was looking for. Thank you [re: Start up? Sole? LLC?]”

“Starting out is always the scariest part but you're approaching it the right way, building proof before chasing big money Just make sure you're clear with those first clients about what "minimal rates" actually means so nobody gets the wrong idea [re: Starting Email marketing service]”

“I’m not sure there is much of a market for something like this [re: Stuck unable to gain traction and growth. What should I do?]”

“I found mine through a referral from another business owner who'd already been through the agency circus, that shortcut saved me months of trial and error. [re: How do people find solid e-commerce developers these days (Shopify, headless, etc.)?]”

“My partner has started a business making hand painted brush and comb sets as keepsakes for parents, we have reached out and sent a sample set to a few mums with somewhat large social media presence, run a couple ads on local facebook groups and etsy, but we are now stuck and stagnant. No orders, little follower growth on social media accounts, unsure where to go from here. What would be our best course of action from here on to grow and gain traction? Thanks in advance. submitted by”

“Exactly. Most people think they need to go find attention when the people who already watched them work are the easiest yes they will ever get. [re: What actually brought in your first 5 customers?]”

Thanks! [re: My first client]

Wow! great job! [re: My first client]

Thanks heaps 🙏 [re: My first client]

Thankyou heaps! [re: My first client]

“am sharing my experince like people are saying pick one niche and do perfection on that but freelancing is totally different your first project may not be in your niche as like in my case i was totally focused in data analytics and my first project is related to the web development and it is related to the moulding machine which is the part of mechanical engineering and client is totally dependent on the developer even we are handling the content writing in a small pay but the project is awesome”

“i should have done this 6 months ago everyone I know started my product 3 months ago with someone else [re: How did you find your first potential customers when starting a business?]”

“This was my first year. I started with 0 clients and will end up right around $200k for the year. About 130 clients. [re: 1st year solo preparers]”

“Marketing and job placing [re: You have to start a remote business with nothing but a pc and an internet connection . What do you do?]”

Good job! [re: My first client]

“Learn your targeted audience/ customer. Once you find that, life gets easier. Learn the basics of which to sale/ get in front of that audience. Test different distribution channels (ads, personal conversation, cold dms/ emails, social media) Whatever works the best, capitalize on it and expand. My advice would be don't use only IG. Use all forms in which your target customer appear on, or might use. [re: Need some advices on marketing]”

Nice job! A real improvement from where it started. [re: My first client]

“Great job 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I'm still working up the nerve to pursue my first client 😭 [re: My first client]”

“een curious about how other freelancers, indie hackers, and founders find clients, especially when they're just starting out. There seem to be so many steps involved in getting a client, and I'm wondering which part people struggle with the most. For example: 1. Finding prospects: Knowing who to reach out to and where to find them. Starting conversations: Figuring out what to say without sounding like you're trying to sell something immediately. Getting replies: Spending time sending”

“for context, i’m making and programming nfc cards for restaurants and cafes with a custom landing page for them that has their menu, review page, wife details, and any other information the business requires branded specifically to them. I’m not totally sure how to get meetings with owners. I’ve been cold emailing several businesses and have made sure to make each email custom to them and not seem like a spam email. Does anyone have any advice on how I can go around doing this? i’m based in the”

“As a simple example, the more people get know about you, the more gonna buy. Simply you wanna just make others people aware about your service. While making other's aware about your service, you'll figure out many things that will grow you. But instead of wasting years by figuring out, i can help you in marketing with my 2 year experience for free because you're at early stage, I'll feel so proud by helping you. 🔥 Just drop a DM if you're ready 🔥 [re: Would you use this? (R”

“Hello everyone! I'm planning to start a small business on the side to make some extra money by providing services in developing automation software to perform repeated tasks such as file manipulation, cleaning up data and generating reports. The biggest problem is how to get my first clients. I don't want to use sites like Fiverr or Upwork because of the competition, and I want to keep this a part-time gig. If you've already created a small business like mine, how did you find your f”

“I started a business with my best friend. Using just a PC and work from home. Clients are anywhere in the world, and even my best friend and I are living in different continents to run the business. Been going 3 years strong and profitable. I own a brand agency. [re: You have to start a remote business with nothing but a pc and an internet connection . What do you do?]”

“Hey everyone! I'm planning to launch my own tutoring company (focused on people applying for Australia med schools) and I have no idea how to start. I currently just advertise myself on facebook (getting a few clients) and through family friends. My main questions are basically are all website-related: Which website builder should I use? (i know in the long-run I will probs hire someone to manage my website - so just need something easy + professional looking to last at least 2 years before”

“I mean I’ll take advice for my business please 😂 But there is a group called the SBDC you could join, I hopped on a call with a free coach to go through my finances and they helped a ton it was amazing [re: Want to start helping Businesses but not spend (confused)]”

thanks [re: Want to start helping Businesses but not spend (confused)]

“well i focus more on proof and talent and being cheaper than others [re: how can i get clients for a freelancing marketplace (i will not promote)]”

“i just started working in this company, but we re still new in the international transportation field, and i wonder if there is any websites i can use to hunt for loads, currently our company is only registered in morocco, a lot of those spain companies require u to have a spain or european registration, and im wondering if there is any website i can use or some way i can hunt for client, maybe linkedin? i just started in this field and my client base is very limited as very little people give c”

“Friend and family referrals is how I got my first few clients [re: What actually brought in your first 5 customers?]”

“Sorry, I meant contacts with (potential) clients. [re: how can i get clients for a freelancing marketplace (i will not promote)]”

“If you don't have contacts to kickstart this, it may be impossible. Marketplaces are one of the hardest products because of the chicken & egg problem. [re: how can i get clients for a freelancing marketplace (i will not promote)]”

“i am starting a freelancing marketplace platform where i am the middle man between the freelancer and the client while the freelancers are easy to get because the fact that people now are looking for jobs more than ever clients are the hardest ones to look for how can i get people to my platform? submitted by /u/Similar_Wealth_1850 [link] [comments]”

“Hi! I’m looking to connect with business owners or entrepreneurs who need help with data entry, admin tasks, research, skip tracing, customer support, or graphic design. My rate is $7/hr, but I’m open to discussing your budget. If you need an extra hand, I’d love to help! Thank you! 😊 submitted by /u/EasyResolution4457 [link] [comments]”

“Hey, congrats, man. Can I ask, how did you get your first few customers? You say that you have zero ad spend, and you got into SEO, AEO a bit later. So how did you start off? Like what got you your first customer? [re: My side project is making more than my 9-5]”

“How did you find these clients? Like what type of biz groups? I don’t think we have a whole lot of people with Shopify businesses in my local area. [re: Growing Bookkeeping Business]”

“I know this is a pretty silly and probably responded 15 times question. But, if you would have a piece of advice for somebody coming from corporate world to jump into new waters by themselves? Mostly for local businesses. Thank you! submitted by /u/hellomyoldfrien [link] [comments]”

“Hey everyone, I’m a technical co-founder of a small, early-stage software development business in India. We’re a small team of three, and we’re trying to build something sustainable rather than just take random projects. We offer services such as: Website design and development Custom software and CRM development WhatsApp Automation Cloud solutions, dashboards, and business process automation Our target customers are small businesses, startups, and SMEs that need better digital solutions but may”

“IT support marketplace, I have techs in several cities. I had 2 clients signed up but one ended up never responding to a tech and the other has no techs in their area. [re: How did you get your first 10 sellers for a two sided marketplace? i will not promote]”

“id focus on getting clients through one channel before trying to build a personal brand everywhere tbh you already know how to build the apps so sales is clearly the bottleneck [re: Can I make a business out of building SaaS apps?]”

“I own GTM agency. Seem like you first need to educate the market about the problem through content. Get initial 6-7 potential customers on the interview, talk to them about their problem, identify is it really something they bother about or they are okay with that. Also, clarify your value proposition. [re: Talent Tuesday: Services and Collabs | October 13, 2026]”

“First client was a bloke I met at the pub who overheard me moaning about wanting to go freelance. He needed a logo for his carpentry business and said "how hard can it be, you do it then" and that was that. Next two were his mates, then someone's cousin who ran a bakery stall had me redo their whole board. Fifth one I actually got from leaving a sketch in a café with my number on it, proper analog cold call that somehow worked. [re: What actually brought in your first 5 customers?]”

“Not your marketing strategy now, the first 5. For most small businesses I know the honest answer is "people I already knew" or "I just asked" submitted by /u/Upset-Branch-3252 [link] [comments]”

“I'd organize things around your audience, not how many businesses you have. Keep coaching as your main focus, and use your personal FB for the broader mix since you already have an established audience. I'd keep art separate on IG if you want to grow it seriously. For Youtube, I'd start with one channel only if the content and audiences overlap, otherwise, separate channels can make more sense. I wouldn't create more accounts until you actually need them [re: How do I maximize so”

“so interesting how quickly you found demand. really the hardest part is finding the right buyer and getting them to trust you with their data [re: Started a side business 10 days ago helping companies get paid for their old data records.]”

“I'm a uni student here in Hong Kong wanting to launch a small business on the side. I've done some research online looking at common student hustle ideas, but a lot of them just don't translate well to Hong Kong's unique market. Since my budget is tight and my time is split with studies, I wanted to ask: what are some small business models—either physical or online—that actually work for students in Hong Kong's local context? submitted by /u/Imaginary_Dinner_317 [”

“I’m a very new baby groomer and my boss is wanting me to talk/handle clients soon and while that’s no problem, I’m a little paranoid because I’m afraid I won’t say the right things or handle something correctly. I’ve not dealt with a lot of customer service in any job that I’ve had and I’m coming to Reddit in hopes for some advice on what to say or do in certain scenarios that I’m about to list below so I can be mentally and fully prepared 😂 because I also know not all clients are easy to deal”

“a) lead gen biz, b) agency or using AI to help profitable businesses increase margins by 5/10% by finding gaps in their database [re: You have to start a remote business with nothing but a pc and an internet connection . What do you do?]”

“I am a full time college student and i'm building a business on the side. right now midterms, class projects, finishing the product, trying/learning to post content somewhat consistently and trying to research and land clients are all competing for the few hours i have free each week. what I have noticed so far : when school gets heavy, the business stalls and when I push on the business, my class work and study time slips. I have been trying to start slow on purpose to prevent a burnout but”

“I found out that for some cases the easiest way is just to found out your target group and dm people. I know that might be cringy but let’s think about for a sec - in 10 days none will care or remember. So don’t wait just move on. I’m using for example Indiepilot.app which is helping me with finding direct contact but you can use whatever app you’d like to. submitted by /u/matek075 [link] [comments]”

“I'm creating a tech shop/repair website for my first client (I'm building it and a friend will be the one to meet the client). Since I'm too introverted to ask for help and I don't wanna mess up, I'm trying to build a software/bot - idk what chatgpt asked claude to do - that can read any website specifications then test it to see if it meets the requirements, find any bug and so on. [re: What are you building right now? Drop your project 👇]”

“Yess, this should be one the initial things to focus on. [re: How we helped scale a travel agency from $3,000 to $20,000 in monthly profits within 6 months]”

“Thanks for the response! Currently, I don't take any money. I'm trying to give users solutions for their problems. But I need to find such people. That's the hardest part... The application is about schedule appointment (lumooly.com). I know that they're lots of such apps. But not all offer multi tenant feature, subdomain business location, repeatable events, SEO configuration. The app offers all these things, but I need to get people. [re: Building a SaaS solo — what made the bi”

“Hi, my partner runs a skincare business (facial, lashes and skin consultation). I'm thinking of supporting bookings through personal Muse but I'm worried that the cancellation rate might go up if we made it easier for bookings to happen. Does anyone have any experience with this? submitted by /u/dennis3124 [link] [comments]”

“I have tried a few businesses over the last few years while still working a full-time job, and none of them really worked. Looking back, I think a big part of it is that I never wanted to put myself out there. I am very much an introvert. I didn’t want to build a community or be the face of anything, partly because I fear criticism. Now it feels like a personal brand and a community are the only way to get people to see what you make, unless you somehow beat big brands at their own game (with wh”

“I started an online cigar accessory business this year and ive hit a wall. Almost all of the social media companies and payment processing companies dont deal with not only tobacco products but also their accessories. Is there anyone out there in this line of work that can give me some tips to get payment processing for my site and help get off the social shadow ban list? submitted by /u/TheCigarFix [link] [comments]”

“Does anyone know of a creative and effective way to create an audience from local competitors? We run a local boutique business and want to find a way to poach the clients of some larger corporate competitors in the area. I wish I could take all of their instagram followers > filter them > create an audience around those people to target for our ads. I've heard of geo-fencing to create an audience but thats way out of my league lol. Any ideas help! submitted by /u/NegativeE”

“I'm trying to land my first paying client as a LinkedIn ghostwriter, and I'm struggling to get there. My current approach has been to send connection requests to founders, wait for them to accept, and then ask if they'd be interested in help growing their LinkedIn presence. I've had some conversations, but I haven't managed to turn this into consistent paid work. I recently found someone willing to try working with me, but it's a free arrangement for now. Last year, I wor”