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How to get your first 10 customers
Your first ten customers will not come from a big launch. They come from conversations. Here is a simple plan you can start today. Nobody can promise how fast it will work, because it depends on your business, your area and what you offer.
Step 1: Say who it is for, in one sentence
Write one line: "I help [who] to [get what]." For example, "I deliver home-cooked tiffin to office workers in Sector 62." If you cannot say it in one line, customers will not understand it either.
Step 2: Make a list of 30 people
Write 30 names of people who could buy from you, or who know someone who could. Friends, family, old colleagues, neighbours, shop owners nearby. Message ten of them personally this week. A personal message works better than a forwarded poster.
Step 3: Offer one clear thing with a price
Do not offer everything. Offer one product or service, say the price and say what happens next. Make it easy to say yes: how to order, how to pay, when they will get it.
Step 4: Go where your customers already are
Look for local WhatsApp and Facebook groups, your housing society, nearby offices, a college, a market or a local event. Read each group's rules before you post. Share something useful first, then your offer.
Step 5: Get on Google Maps
People search on Google before they buy from a new shop. Set up your profile with our Google Business Profile guide. After every sale, ask the customer for a review with a free QR poster from our review tool. Never give rewards for reviews.
Step 6: Ask for one introduction
After a customer is happy, ask, "Who else do you know who would like this?" One introduction from a happy customer is worth more than ten cold messages.
Step 7: Keep a simple notebook
For each person write: name, what they asked, the price, and when to follow up. Also write why people said no. Those answers tell you what to change.
Want your pages ready to post from?
We set up your Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp Business profile, so people can find you and message you.
Social media setup: ₹4,999 + 18% GSTQuestions people ask
How long does it take to get 10 customers?
It depends on your business, your area and your offer. We cannot promise a number or a date. Talking to more people, every day, is the part you control.
Do I need a website first?
No. Start with conversations and a Google Business Profile. A website helps later, and you can build one free with FirmGenie.
Should I run ads at the start?
You can, but ads work better after you know what people respond to. Talk to real customers first and learn what they ask for.
Can I offer a discount for reviews?
No. Google does not allow rewards in exchange for reviews. Ask politely and make it easy with a QR code.
What to do next
This is one step in a longer path. See Start a business: what to do next for all seven steps, from testing your idea to your first customers.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Prices are + 18% GST. FirmGenie does not file trademarks or register companies.