Getting clients
How to get your first clients when you are starting out
Updated 21 September 2026 · 5 min read
The hardest customers to win are the first few, because you have no reviews, no word of mouth and no momentum yet. The good news is you do not need a marketing budget to get going. You need to make it as easy as possible for the people already around you to say yes, and to pass you on.
Start with the network you already have
Your first customers are usually closer than you think: friends, family, former colleagues, and the local groups you are already part of. A direct, specific ask ("I have started doing X, do you know anyone who needs it?") works far better than a general announcement that everyone scrolls past. People want to help, but they need to know exactly what you do and who you are looking for.
Make booking effortless
Every extra step between "I am interested" and "I am booked" loses people. A single link someone can tap to see your services and book, without having to message you and wait, removes most of that friction. When you are starting out, being easy to book is worth more than being clever about marketing.
- One booking link you can share anywhere
- Clear services and prices so there is nothing to ask
- No back-and-forth required to get booked in
Turn each first job into two more
Early on, every customer is also a source of the next one. Do work worth talking about, then make it easy for them to come back and to send someone your way. A simple "if you know anyone who would like this, I would really appreciate the introduction" at the end of a good job is how the first trickle becomes a steady flow.
The short version
- Your first clients are usually in your existing network, ask directly
- Make booking a single, effortless step
- Turn every early job into referrals and repeat visits
- Being easy to book beats clever marketing when you are new
Soopaspace gives you a booking link you can put anywhere, in your bio, in a message, in a local group, so the people you reach can book you in a tap.
See booking from a single linkCommon questions
- Should I discount to win my first clients?
- A small, clearly temporary launch offer can help you build momentum and reviews, but be careful not to anchor your prices too low. It is easier to start fair and stay there than to raise prices on people who signed up cheap.
- How do I get customers when I have no reviews yet?
- Lean on trust you already have: your own network, and the referrals they give you. A personal recommendation does the job a review would, and those early customers become your first reviews.