How to Find Your First 10 Customers.

So, you have the business concept all figured out, and the website is almost good to go. Maybe you have even ordered some business cards. You are reeling in that thrilling and scary feeling of a new beginning. Suddenly, the big and silent question appears: “Okay… but how do I get people to buy this, in reality?”
First 10 customers can be like just bit the rain that fell on the campfire you’re trying to start. You’re rubbing your sticks, feeling slightly foolish, yet people you look to have a big fire going. I know the feeling. I started my first ‘serious’ side hustle of social media help for small shops. After the launch fireworks (a few likes from my mom and best friend), there was only… silence. Crickets. I kept staring at my shiny ‘Contact Me’ page and doubted if I had made up the whole thing in my mind.

If you’re wondering how to find your first 10 customers, you’re not alone. Every new founder faces this exact moment after launching their website.

Step 1: Stop “Marketing” and Start Talking (Like, Actually Talking)

Dismiss the ads and the cold email blasts. The goal is to have 100 real conversations with people about their problems that you solve.
Where? Everywhere you naturally hang out online. Say if you comment on a Reddit post where a person is lamenting their trouble, answer them in a kind way by suggesting the solution you offer. Similarly, participate in a local entrepreneur’s Facebook Group and answer one question there. Also, you can help someone on Twitter who just tweeted about the headache your business relieves.
Rule: Lead with the help and not with the pitch. For example, say you are selling handmade baby clothes. Do not advertise like this in mom’s group, “BUY MY ONESIES!” Instead, for the first few days, just keep answering questions. When someone asks for “organic cotton sleepers,” it is your chance to inform the person, “Actually, I make those! Here is some info about the fabric I use for the clothes… ” So, it is obvious that you have a helpful attitude, not that you are after the business solely.

Step 2: Your “Hidden” First Customers Are Already in Your Phone

Take a deep breath before you look at the names in your address book. The list of names you see there is your former colleague, your cousin, and that friend from yoga class. They are not strangers who owe you a favor but your warmest network that can be readily accessed. However, doing the right thing is extremely important here.
Please, do not send a generic message saying, “Hey, I’ve just started my business, take a look at it!” but rather write a personal and friendly no-pressure message such as: “Hi Sam! Your new café has been on my mind all the time. In fact, I have just started helping cafes and restaurants with their Instagram menus. I happened to see your page and came up with one small, simple idea that could enhance photos there—this is totally free, just a thought! So, if it is okay, may I share it with ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌you?”

Step​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ 3: Do the Thing Publicly (A “Build in Public” Story)

For me, this is what changed the game completely. Rather than hiding and keeping my service under wraps until it was “perfect”, I simply went ahead and shared my progress in a tiny post on LinkedIn. “Well, I finally did it. I launched my thing to help small shops tell their story. Week 1 goal: not to be scared to talk about it. First lesson learned: [something simple and honest].”
People noticed the sincerity of the post and the engagement was overwhelming. A friend-of-a-friend read it and dropped me a line, “I’m running a flower cart and I desperately need this! Can we talk?” That was how Customer #1 came about. She came from trust and visibility, not a sales pitch. Share your process, your small wins, and what you’re learning. People root for people, not for faceless businesses.”

Step 4: The Magic of a Simple, Scrappy Offer

The first 10 customers are the people who have to be very comfortable and very sure of low risks in making a decision to say “yes.”
Put together a “Pilot” or “Founder’s Rate” package. Let the world know what is going on: “My first 10 clients are lucky ones that I am giving special rates to in return for their valuable feedback and a testimonial if they love the work.”
Tighten the limits. Present a single, very clear offering: “The Website Launch Review” or “3 Social Media Posts & a Strategy Sheet.” This way they will face less difficulty in making a decision, and you will be able to work it out easily.
This is not a spot where you throw out super cheap versions of your product. You are striking a fair bargain in terms of value, with their role as an early supporter which is undeniably essential. Hold your head up high.

Step 5: Become a Detective of “I Wish…”

The best content for your marketing won’t be crafted by you. It will come as direct quotations from your very first customers.
Then again, you have to be attentive about following up with the words they keep using when they describe their problems. A first client of mine uttered, “I just wish my Instagram didn’t look so empty and sad compared to my actual sunny shop,” I quickly grabbed my pen and paper and wrote it down. Exactly as she said it. It then became the title on my service page: “Does your Instagram feel empty compared to your actual shop?”
Their utterances can be transformed into a highly-effective tool for you. Speak to the next customer through that language.

The Real Truth No One Talks About

Those initial 10 sales you make will feel so intimate, so special at a level that is almost hard to describe to anyone else. You might actually be able to recall the entire list of names, as well as all the email correspondences. I bet you will end up giving way more than what was expected. Before handing over the final piece, it is a fact that you will get confused. It is not the mark of a non-professional, it is the essence of one’s business in the womb. It is that love and commitment that will have the first 10 customers coming back to you as well as giving their friends your name.
So start today. Not with a campaign, but with a conversation. Go be a helpful human in one single online space. Your people are out there, rubbing their own sticks together, hoping for a spark. Go be that spark for them.
P.S. My “social media for small shops” side hustle? Those first 10 customers became the foundation of my entire business today. One of them still emails me every year on the anniversary of our first project. That’s the kind of start you’re building. Now, go say “hi” to ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌someone.