You've done the hard part—you’ve defined your service, set your prices, and are ready to go. Now comes the step that trips a lot of people up when : finding paying customers. It feels intimidating, but the truth is, the foundation for your client list is probably already sitting in your pocket.
Getting potential customers to pick you is always an uphill battle if you don’t genuinely understand what they want and need. This isn't just about knowing the market you’re in—it’s about adopting a client-first mindset and being able to answer the question, “Why should they choose me?”
There are two things that really set humans apart. One is our opposable thumbs, a neat trick we share with a few other species like koalas and some tree frogs. But the second one? That’s all ours. It’s our ability to take in information and consciously make choices based on it. This power of choice is our single greatest asset.
Most of us have a few scattered memories from early childhood, maybe a birthday party or playing outside, probably from around age four or five. What we can’t recall, however, is how our brains actually operated back then. It’s easy to assume they worked just like they do now, but that couldn’t be more wrong.
I heard a story recently that perfectly captures the journey most entrepreneurs face. A young man’s mother looked at him and said something he dreaded hearing: “You are going to have to go back to being a waiter at Red Lobster.”
It's no secret that companies spend a fortune on social media ads—think somewhere in the ballpark of $58 billion a year. But what if you're just getting started or without a massive budget? The good news is, you don't have to spend a dime to start growing your audience.
It’s pretty simple: people who already know you are far more likely to buy something from you than a total stranger. This holds true for your social media audience. Every day, they’re bombarded with messages from people they don’t know, connect with, or care about, and they’ve gotten really good at ignoring the noise. They don’t have time to figure out why your product is worth their attention. That’s not their job—it’s yours.
My marketing agency was losing money, and I was losing the joy of running it. I felt like I was working incredibly hard for free, constantly competing on price in a crowded market of local agencies that promised to do everything for everyone. I was a commodity, and the cheapest commodity always wins. I knew something had to change.
Let’s be honest: trying to use social media for direct-response marketing often feels like trying to use Jell-O as cement. The two just don’t mix well. Social media has its own culture and expectations, while direct response is all about one thing—getting a specific, measurable action. It’s an arranged marriage between two strangers who don’t trust each other.