Here is how you find your first paying customer.

Being a startup founder is just navigating from milestone to milestone.

Deciding you want to build something, write a business plan, create a website, hire your first employee, raise capital, order tee shirts with your logo on it, pay yourself a salary.

You get the idea. You’re always moving towards that next thing. Hitting a milestone & moving to the next one.

But there is not a single milestone that is both as sexy & terrifying as getting your first paying customer. (and I’m not talking about your mom buying your product, but that is also pretty amazing).

So here are my five essential tips for getting your first customer 👇

Define your ICP.

Generating sales without knowing who you’re selling to is nearly impossible. And this isn’t just applicable to your first customer but important for the life of your business.

It's essential to have a clear understanding of who your target audience is. Consider demographics, psychographics, and specific pain points your product or service can address. Are you targeting fitness enthusiasts, individuals seeking weight loss solutions, or people looking for holistic wellness practices? Once you define your ideal customer, you can tailor your approach accordingly.

If you’re a B2B company, defining an ICP doesn’t just mean defining the type of company you want to target, but also identifying exactly who in the company you need to target. You’ll need to understand who the decision-makers are & to understand how to get ahold of them.

If you’re a consumer facing company, you’ll need to understand exactly who you’re selling to, why you’re selling to them & exactly how your product solves a problem that they’re currently facing.

It’s common for early-stage found to skip this stage, assuming that they can define their ICP later in the process, based on where interest exists. You can’t. And the longer you wait to define this, the harder things will be for you in the sales process.

Leverage your network.

You don’t need fancy funnels, expensive ads or an external agency to find your first customer. You should be reaching out to your ICP, through your own network, to understand

Leveraging your personal and professional network is an excellent starting point for finding your first customer. Reach out to friends, family, and colleagues who might be interested in your offering or know someone who is. Attend industry events, conferences, and meetups to network with potential customers, industry experts, and influencers. These connections can lead to valuable referrals or even direct customers.

Go community hunting.

You absolutely do not need to build your own community in 2023. I suggest a concept called “community hunting” which is designed to help find the “lowest hanging fruit” and convert them to customers.

Here is how you do it

I usually start with Reddit & search for communities that are already talking about the problem that you’re solving. You can do this by typing key phrases from your ICP into Reddit’s search bar & reading the top posts in different groups.

Do NOT spam your products in Reddit communities. You’ll get yourself banned. Instead, respond to comments offering value, send DMs to folks & become a part of the community.

You can do the same thing on Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn, depending on your business model. Find hashtags that are relevant, follow creators in existing communities, provide value, send DMs & build relationships.

Lastly, if you have a product that works in the real-world, go visit locations where those communities exist.

If you’re selling a new protein powder of gym bag - go drop in to studios and offer samples. If you sell swim goggles, spend time at the local pool. You get the idea.

Find a partnership.

There are already companies that exist in your vertical. Go & find them & offer them a compelling reason to work with you.

Identify potential partners, such as gyms, nutritionists, or wellness bloggers, who share a similar target audience but offer different products or services. Explore opportunities for cross-promotion, joint events, or co-creating content that benefits both parties and exposes your startup to a wider customer base.

Engage in direct outreach.

New Founders should spend a high percentage of their team reaching out to strangers, trying to sell their products. At this stage in business, you’re selling lemonade at a lemonade stand, focus on 1×1 selling.

Don't be afraid to reach out directly to potential customers who align with your target audience. Craft personalized messages or emails that demonstrate your understanding of their needs and how your startup can address them. However, ensure your outreach is genuine, non-intrusive, and adds value to their lives. Personalized communication can make a significant impact and open doors for fruitful business relationships.

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