Now that you have set up your site and are ready to start teaching, the question becomes, ‘How do I get customers to find me? And more importantly, how do I find them quickly so I can start making a profit?’
After all, it’s one thing to create content, it’s another to find the right audience for your work and turn your work into a profitable business.
Thankfully, we’re here to help you out! Next, we will lay out a step-by-step process from launching your site to gaining your first 100 customers.
7 Steps To Get Your First 100 Customers in 2024
Here are the steps you need to follow in order to hit your first 100 customers mark:
Step 1: Establish a presence online
The first step to gaining new customers is to establish an online presence across social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. This is essential to do so that when people begin to look for a solution like yours online, they will be able to find it without looking too hard.
According to GlobalWebIndex, 54% of social browsers use social media to research products.
Setting up a page can be quick and painless, but you want to make sure to include the following:
- Brand colors, icons, and logos throughout to establish a consistent brand identity.
- Links to your website along with instructions for signing up or taking next steps.
- High quality images or videos to show off what you do.
After you have established yourself, you will be far easier to find. Then, from there, you can go on the offensive to drive traffic.
Step 2: Create posts and engage with others on social media
Once your brand is established on social media, now you need to engage with others in order to drum up excitement about your business.
On platforms like Twitter and Instagram, this means posting regularly with promotions or further details about your offerings. On Facebook or Reddit, you can join specific groups to find people interested in what you do.
According to Lyfemarketing, 71% of consumers who have had a positive experience with a brand on social media are likely to recommend the brand to their friends and family.
The important thing is to find positive ways to interact with folks online to lead them to your site. Something as simple as asking a question about what your customers might want to see from your offerings can be a good place to start a conversation that leads to a conversion.
If you need help with designing your posts, pictures, or promo videos, keep in mind that free tools like Canva exist to help you out. Or, if you have some extra money to invest, consider working with a freelancer on Fiverr.
Step 3: Work within your existing network
Along with establishing your online presence, the next step to building your client base is to work within your existing network.
Start with friends, family, and colleagues to lay the groundwork and then once you have proven to them the value you are offering, they can help you spread the word.
Small actions from your existing network can go a long way at the beginning to gain new clients. Such as:
- Sharing and liking your social media posts.
- Telling friends about your offerings.
- Connecting you with others in your industry.
Once you’ve exhausted your network, then you can start looking out and finding people beyond your initial circle.
However, this foundation should not be taken for granted and you’ll want to continuously check in on them to make sure they remain positive about their experience.
Step 4: Offer free classes to incentivize new customers
While a certain amount of new clients will join simply based on your expertise, the value you offer, and referrals from your existing network, others will need the extra push to make the purchase decision.
One example of a promotion that can greatly increase signups is a free trial or a free class to try out your services without making a commitment. Mastera allows you to offer your services for free or on a trial basis before enrolling in a membership plan.
Not only does this give them an opportunity to try you out with no strings attached, but it gives you the chance to prove your value to them. If you are confident in your ability to convert incoming clients, a free trial can be the best way to find new prospects.
Step 5: Spread the word in community groups and organizations
As we mentioned earlier, your existing network may only stretch so far, meaning that you will need to look at other outside communities in order to find new customers. Thankfully, there are lots of places offline and online where you can find new potential clients.
A few ideas include:
- Subreddits for specific interests or activities. You can post, comment, and find people who are interested in your services.
- Facebook groups for community events, discussion, and feedback.
- Local chapters of communities, groups, or organizations related to what you do.
Simply by getting your name out there in these communities, you can increase the awareness of your brand.
From there, you want to make yourself accessible to answer questions and cement yourself as an expert. Then, when it’s time for them to find a solution, you will be the first name that comes to mind.
Step 6: Use referrals to continue expanding your network
At this point, you should have a good base of customers who are sold on what you do to build from. An excellent way to solidify your relationship with this core audience while adding new prospects is through referrals.
“65% of a company’s business comes from existing customers.” – SmallBizGenius.
For example, you can offer a discount or incentive to your existing customers to refer a friend, but only when the friend joins. On top of that, you can offer a free trial or other promotion to the friend to ensure they sign up.
Some ideas for other promotions or incentives you might try include:
- Coupons for discounted classes, videos, and 1 on 1s. These can be created in your Mastera dashboard.
- Buy-one-get-one-free promotions for classes. Let your customers’ dollars do more for them while you win them over.
Starting off a relationship with a promotion is a great way to build goodwill with your customers right off the bat. As long as you can follow it up with exceptional service, you are likely to have a customer for the long-term.
Step 7: Boost your ads to find new audiences
Now that you have reached out to your existing network, interest groups, and local community, you will hopefully be well on your way to your first 100 customers.
However, if you still need an extra bump to get you across that next threshold, boosting your ads can be an excellent way to find new customers.
Ideally, you will have enough revenue coming in at this point to invest some money back into ads. Even a budget of $5/day can get you in front of hundreds of potential customers.
Here are some tips for running successful ads to draw in new customers:
- Focus on design: Either by using Fiverr like we mentioned earlier or working with a designer, come up with some exciting designs to capture the eye and draw attention to what you do.
- Research audiences: Depending on your approach, $5/day can go a long way or disappear in seconds. We recommend doing research on the audiences you want to reach and then find the right balance between finding the right customer and the right cost.
- Work in sprints: Divide up your ads into small time increments to make adjustments as you go. For example, if you run an ad for 2 weeks and don’t get much from it, change it up for the next 2 weeks to see what changes. Then, you can either run with the one that works or find a middle ground moving forward.
Conclusion: Ready to Get Your First 100 Customers?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution or silver bullet, but if you can find your niche and the right message to reach them, you can exponentially grow your business.
Our hope is that with these steps, you can start making your way to your first 100 customers and beyond.
Co-Founder, Gleantap & Mastera