How to Get Your First 3 Clients Without Ads or a Big Audience

If you’re just starting your business and thinking:

“How do I get clients when no one even knows I exist yet?!”

Friend, take a deep breath. You are NOT behind. You don’t need thousands of followers, paid ads, or a viral reel to get your first few clients.

You just need:

Something helpful to offer
A clear idea of who you can help
The courage to talk about it (even imperfectly)

Let’s break it down into a step-by-step plan you can actually follow—with zero overwhelm.

Step 1: Get Clear on What You’re Offering

Before you go looking for clients, make sure you’re super clear on:

What problem you solve
Who you help
How your offer works

💡 Example:
“I help new moms meal plan in under 15 minutes a week so they can stop stressing about dinner.”

Don’t worry about perfect wording or a fancy title—just focus on clarity. You want someone to say, “Omg, I NEED that!”

Step 2: Make a Simple, Shareable Offer

You don’t need a full-blown website or complicated sales page. Just make a simple offer people can say yes to.

Include:

What you’re offering
Who it’s for
What’s included (sessions, timeline, format)
Price (or say “intro rate” if you’re testing it out)

💬 Example:

“Hey friends! I’m offering 3 spots for a brand new 1:1 service where I help you organize your small biz with a simple system (even if you’re not techy!). You’ll get a 60-minute session, a custom plan, and follow-up support. DM me if you want more info!”

Step 3: Start with Your Circle (Yes, Even If It’s Tiny)

Your first clients are probably closer than you think. Even if you don’t have a big online audience, you have a real-life network—and that’s gold.

Start with:

Friends and family
Old coworkers or classmates
People in your community (school, gym, groups)
Facebook groups or online spaces you're already part of

💡 Don’t say: “I need clients.”
✅ Do say: “I’m looking for 3 people who want help with ___.”

Make it about helping, not selling.

Step 4: Talk About It (Even If It’s Scary)

I know, I know—putting yourself out there can feel awkward. But people can’t say yes to your offer if they don’t know it exists!

Ways to talk about your offer:

Post on Instagram (even if only 10 people see it—those are real humans!)
Talk about it in Facebook groups (look for ones where your audience hangs out)
Send a personal message to a few people you think could benefit or know someone who might

🎯 Helpful script:

“Hey! I just launched something new to help [who] with [problem], and I thought of you. Not sure if it’s a fit, but if you know anyone who could use this, I’d love if you passed it along!”

Step 5: Focus on Conversations, Not Just Content

You don’t need to go viral. You just need to build real connections. Think of it like making new friends who might want what you offer.

👋 Reply to comments
💬 Start convos in DMs
🙋‍♀️ Ask questions in your posts or stories
🎁 Offer value without being salesy

When people feel seen and supported, they’re way more likely to say yes.

Step 6: Make It Easy to Say Yes

Make the process super simple for them:

Tell them exactly what to do (DM you, book a call, click a link)
Make the next step clear
Be responsive and kind—people want to work with people who make them feel good!

A Quick Recap: Your 3-Client Game Plan

✅ Get clear on your offer
💬 Talk about it to your real-life and online circle
🧡 Focus on helping—not selling
👯 Build connections, not just content
💌 Make it easy to take the next step

Bonus Tip: Celebrate the Little Wins

Even if someone says “not right now,” that’s still a win! You're learning, growing, and showing up for your business. That energy attracts clients over time.

Every convo, every post, every offer—it's all part of building your dream biz from the ground up. And you’re doing AMAZING.