How to Find Customers and Make Sales When You’re Just Starting Out

How to Find Customers and Make Sales When You’re Just Starting Out

Each one is rooted in real-world startup experience and focuses on clarity, momentum, and trust-building.

1. 

Clarity Beats Complexity: Know Who You’re Talking To and What You’re Offering

When you’re starting from scratch, the biggest sales killer is confusion. If people don’t understand exactly what you do, who you serve, and how your product or service helps them, they won’t buy. You don’t need a complicated marketing funnel or clever slogans—you need a simple, clear message.

Help your audience get laser-focused on:

• Who their ideal customer is (age, lifestyle, needs, pain points)
• What specific transformation or benefit their product delivers
• Why someone should choose them over other options

The clearer your value proposition, the more attention you’ll attract—even without a big budget. People don’t buy what they don’t understand. They buy what feels relevant and easy to grasp.

2. 

Visibility Comes from Repetition—Not Just Creativity

Most startups don’t have the luxury of huge ad spends or celebrity endorsements. So how do you build visibility from nothing? Consistency. Being visible in the right places, over and over again, is what makes a brand feel familiar—and people buy from brands they recognize and trust.

This includes:

• Showing up regularly on one or two key platforms (email, social, events, referrals)
• Sharing helpful, authentic content that your audience actually values
• Repeating your core message again and again

You don’t need to go viral. You need to become familiar. Sales come from people seeing your name often enough that they remember you when the need arises.

3. 

Sales Start with Conversations—Not Campaigns

In the early days of a business, your biggest asset isn’t your website or your social media—it’s your ability to connect with people one-on-one. At this stage, sales don’t come from ads—they come from conversations.

Encourage listeners to:

• Talk to people about what they’re building
• Ask potential customers what problems they’re trying to solve
• Offer solutions and ask for the sale directly

Sales is not about pressure—it’s about service. The more confidently and sincerely you speak about how your offer can help, the more sales you’ll start to make—even when you’re brand new.

Startup Business 101

Startup Business 101 is a company that helps people start and run a successful business.  It consists of a Startup Business 101 Blog, Startup Business 101 Podcast, and a Startup Business 101 YouTube Channel.  StartupBusiness101.com has many resources to help entrepreneur navigate their way to begin their business and resources to help them it succeeds. 

If you want to start a company or have questions on what it takes to make your small business successful, check out our resources.

Contact Information

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startupbusiness101.com@gmail.com

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@StartupBusines

Transcript

How to Find Customers and Make Sales When You’re Just Starting Out

Today, we’re getting into something that every entrepreneur wrestles with, especially in the beginning: How do you actually find customers and make sales when no one even knows you exist yet?

Let’s be real—when you’re just starting out, it can feel like you’re shouting into the void. You’ve poured your heart into your product, your service, your brand. You know you can help people. You believe in your business. But there’s this big question hanging over your head: How do I get people to actually care? How do I get them to buy? It’s not just about surviving—it’s about proving that what you’ve built is valuable.

And here’s the thing: you’re not alone. Every entrepreneur—every successful business owner you admire—has started right where you are now. They had no followers. No customers. No recognition. Just an idea, a vision, and a drive to turn it into something real.

I’m going to walk you through the playbook—not the theory, but the real, grounded strategies that help people go from invisible to irresistible. We’re going to dig into how to attract attention, earn trust, and create a message so clear it feels like a magnet. And we’ll go even deeper, into the power of showing up consistently—because your audience doesn’t need to see you once. They need to see you often enough to believe you’re not going anywhere.

We’re also going to talk about the heartbeat of early sales—something so many people overlook: conversations.That’s right. Not algorithms. Not funnels. Conversations. That’s where the magic happens. And I’ll show you how to make them happen—whether you’re introverted, bootstrapped, or still figuring it all out.

So if you’ve been feeling like you’re doing everything right—posting, sharing, building—but still not seeing traction, this episode is your reset button. This is your moment to shift from confusion to clarity, from hesitation to confidence, from hoping people find you to knowing exactly how to get in front of them.

Because here’s what I believe: you don’t need to be famous to be successful. You just need to be visible, valuable, and consistent.

So buckle up. Get ready to take notes. And more importantly—get ready to take action. This episode could change the way you think about marketing and sales forever.

Let’s dive into How to Find Customers and Make Sales When No One Knows You Yet—right here, on Startup Business 101.

Clarity Beats Complexity: Know Who You’re Talking To and What You’re Offering

When you’re launching a business, your instinct might be to try and impress people with how much you know or how many things you can offer. That’s totally normal. You’re proud of what you’ve built, you want to be taken seriously, and you’re probably worried that if you don’t throw everything out there—every feature, every service, every reason you’re “different”—people won’t notice you. But here’s the truth: complexity kills conversions. It kills curiosity. It kills sales.

What actually moves the needle is clarity.

That may not sound as sexy as a viral campaign or a slick brand refresh—but I promise you, clarity is the most underrated superpower in your marketing arsenal. When you’re clear about who you serve, what you offer, and why it matters, you don’t just get attention—you get trust. You get belief. You get people saying, “Yes. That’s what I’ve been looking for.”

Let’s break this down. Imagine you’re walking through a street fair and you see two booths. One has a colorful sign with ten different offerings: “Handmade gifts! All ages! For every occasion! Fun! Unique! Something for everyone!” The other has a plain banner that says: “Custom engraved dog tags for military families.” Now, if you’re a military spouse or parent, which booth are you walking toward? Exactly.

The clearer you are, the more magnetic you become.

So, who are you talking to? And don’t say “everyone.” I know it’s tempting, especially when you’re trying to pay the bills and grow your reach. But if you’re trying to market to everyone, you’re actually speaking to no one. People need to see themselves in your message. Your product or service should feel like it was made for them.

Get specific. Are you serving overwhelmed moms? First-time entrepreneurs? Fitness-minded professionals who don’t have time to meal prep? Think about their age range, lifestyle, pain points, and even what kind of language they respond to. Are they looking for ease? Status? Simplicity? Connection?

This is where your value proposition comes in. And I don’t mean a list of features. I mean the core transformation you’re offering. What problem do you solve? How do you make life better, easier, or more exciting for your customer? You’re not selling coaching sessions—you’re helping someone finally gain the confidence to launch their dream. You’re not selling candles—you’re creating peace, ambiance, and comfort in someone’s chaotic life. Get out of the weeds and into the why.

And here’s a golden tip: test your clarity by using this sentence—“I help [specific person] solve [specific problem] so they can [specific outcome].”

Example? “I help busy real estate agents manage their social media so they can focus on closing deals.”

That sentence is clear. It’s not trying to impress anyone—it’s trying to connect. And it works.

Now, let’s talk competition. Why you? There are thousands of businesses out there offering what you offer—or at least something close. That doesn’t mean you have to fight for attention with flashier ads or lower prices. It means you have to communicate your difference in a way that matters. What’s your unique approach? What values do you operate by? What kind of experience do customers get with you that they won’t find anywhere else?

If you’ve got a big heart and treat your clients like family—say that. If your product is handcrafted and takes twice as long because you care about quality—say that. People don’t just buy what you sell. They buy why you do it and how it makes them feel.

And the good news? You don’t need a huge ad budget or a fancy agency to do any of this. You just need to say it simply. Say it clearly. And say it often. Because here’s the bottom line: people don’t buy what they don’t understand. They buy what makes them feel seen, understood, and confident that you can help them.

So as a startup founder, don’t get caught up trying to do too much too soon. Don’t hide behind jargon. Don’t bury your offer in layers of confusion. Make it easy for people to say “Yes.” Make it impossible for them to say, “I’m not sure what this is.”

Because clarity doesn’t just attract customers. It builds momentum. It builds word of mouth. And most importantly—it builds belief.

And that belief? That’s the foundation of your first sale… and your hundredth.

Visibility Comes from Repetition—Not Just Creativity

When you’re starting a business, the temptation to try and “go viral” is real. You scroll through social media and see businesses gaining thousands of followers overnight, influencers racking up millions of views, and brand videos that take off like wildfire. And it’s easy to think, “If I could just come up with something clever enough or creative enough, people would finally pay attention.” But here’s the truth that seasoned entrepreneurs know: visibility doesn’t come from a one-time spark—it comes from a steady flame.

Let me paint this picture for you. Imagine your business is a campfire. You don’t get it roaring with one giant log and walk away—you build it slowly, feeding it with kindling, blowing gently, adding fuel. That’s what visibility is: small, consistent actions that keep the fire alive. People don’t remember the one amazing post you made. They remember the brand that showed up again and again—reliably, consistently, like clockwork.

Now, I get it. You’re wearing ten hats as a startup founder. You’re thinking, “Do I really have time to post every day, send emails, go to events, and still do the work of the business?” But I want to tell you this: you don’t need to be everywhere. You just need to be somewhere consistently. Choose one or two key platforms where your ideal customers already hang out. That might be Instagram, a Facebook group, your email list, LinkedIn, or even your local Chamber of Commerce. Pick your lanes—and own them.

And here’s where the magic really starts to happen: you don’t need to create brand new content every single day. You just need to say the same thing in different ways. That core message—the problem you solve and who you solve it for—should be repeated like a drumbeat. Why? Because people rarely hear you the first time. Or the second. Or even the third. But after the sixth, seventh, eighth encounter, something shifts. You go from being a stranger to a known quantity. And people buy from those they know.

This is why repetition is more powerful than momentary creativity. A brilliant campaign that runs once and disappears is like a firework—exciting, sure, but gone in seconds. A consistent presence is like the rising sun—predictable, trustworthy, always showing up. When your audience sees your name pop up again and again, a few things start to happen. They start to associate your brand with reliability. They begin to trust that you’re not just a flash-in-the-pan entrepreneur—you’re in this for the long haul. And when they’re finally ready to solve the problem your product or service addresses, they think of you first.

Let’s look at a real-world example: Ever heard of the clothing brand Daily Harvest? When they started, they didn’t have millions to spend on marketing. What they did have was consistency. They showed up with clear messaging on wellness, convenience, and clean eating. They posted on social media daily. They invested in small-scale partnerships with micro-influencers and health bloggers. Their content was authentic, simple, and repetitive—smoothie bowls, plant-based meals, fast prep times. Same message, everywhere. And because of that consistency, they created a brand that felt familiar, even to people who’d never bought a product. That familiarity turned into interest. And interest turned into sales.

Here’s what this means for you: don’t wait for the perfect campaign. Start showing up now. Post that behind-the-scenes look at your process. Send that helpful tip to your email list. Show up to the networking event, even if it feels awkward. Every touchpoint matters. Every time someone sees your name, you’re earning a piece of mindshare.

And if you’re still worried that your efforts aren’t “creative enough,” let me reassure you—your audience doesn’t want perfection. They want authenticity. They want consistency. They want to know that you’ll be there—not just today, but tomorrow, and the day after that. So commit to the repetition. Commit to the long game. That’s how visibility turns into trust, and trust turns into sales.

Sales Start with Conversations—Not Campaigns

When you’re just getting started, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need a fancy sales funnel, a polished pitch deck, and a paid ads budget just to get your first customer. You might even feel like you need all of that before you can start selling. But here’s the real truth—the truth that seasoned entrepreneurs know deep down: in the beginning, sales aren’t built on automation. They’re built on connection.

That means your biggest asset isn’t your logo, your color palette, or even your website—it’s your voice. Your story. Your ability to connect one-on-one with people who have a problem that you’re ready to help them solve.

Sales begin not with a billboard or a banner ad—but with a conversation.

Let’s break this down with a simple example. Imagine you’ve just launched a service that helps busy parents plan healthy meals for the week. You’re proud of it. You know it could genuinely help people eat better and stress less. But you don’t have a big budget to throw at Facebook ads or SEO campaigns. So what do you do?

You start talking. You post on your personal social media page—not to sell, but to share. You say something like: “I’ve just launched a simple tool that helps busy parents plan meals in less than 10 minutes a week. I’m looking for a few people to try it out and give me feedback.” That’s it. No pressure. No pitch. Just a genuine offer to help.

And here’s what happens: someone comments. Then another. Then a friend messages you, “Hey, I’ve been looking for something like that!” And you reply, not with a sales script, but with a conversation: “Tell me what your biggest struggle with meal planning is.” And they open up. And you listen. Then you say, “I think what I’ve created could help you with that. Want to give it a try?”

That’s sales. Right there.

It’s not a commercial. It’s not a popup. It’s a conversation rooted in curiosity and service.

You see, one of the most powerful tools you have as a new business owner is your ability to connect in real time, with real people. It’s a muscle that too many entrepreneurs skip in their rush to automate. But automation can only amplify what already works. If you don’t know how to sell your offer one-on-one, you won’t magically get sales when you set up a funnel. Conversations are your testing ground. They show you what resonates. They teach you the language your customers use. They help you refine your message in a way no spreadsheet or analytics dashboard ever could.

And don’t forget—the market listens when you listen first. When you ask people about their challenges, their goals, their frustrations, you gain insights that are pure gold. You learn what keeps them up at night. You hear what words they use to describe their pain. And when you can repeat those words back to them and say, “I created this for you,” that’s when trust begins. That’s when you’re no longer just another business. You’re a solution.

Let’s look at a real-world example: Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx. She didn’t launch with a massive marketing campaign. She had an idea—footless pantyhose—and she talked to people. Literally. She went into department stores and asked to meet with buyers. She listened to customers. She handed out prototypes. She explained her vision. She made sales happen not because she had millions of dollars to spend—but because she had conversations. That’s the kind of hustle that builds momentum. That’s what gets your foot in the door.

Another example? Airbnb. In their early days, co-founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia didn’t just put up a website and hope for bookings. They knocked on doors. They met hosts in person. They helped them take photos of their spaces. They had real conversations to build trust. Today, Airbnb is a global brand—but it started with two guys renting out air mattresses in their apartment and talking to customers.

Now, I get it—talking to strangers can feel scary. Especially if you don’t consider yourself “a salesperson.” But I want you to drop that identity right now. You are not just selling. You are serving. You’re offering something that could make someone’s life better, easier, or more meaningful. And when you believe that with everything in you, you don’t have to push. You just have to invite.

So here’s what I want you to do right now, today. Make a list of five people who might benefit from what you offer—or who might know someone who does. Reach out. Ask how they’re doing. Ask what they’re struggling with. And then, only if it’s a genuine fit, offer to help.

That is the beginning of a sales engine that doesn’t burn out. Because it’s built on relationships, not gimmicks.

You’re not behind because you haven’t launched a marketing campaign. You’re not behind because you don’t have a slick sales funnel. You’re exactly where you need to be—at the start of your journey. And the path forward begins with one simple question:

Who can I help today?

If you can answer that—and then go talk to them—you’re already selling. And trust me, those first few sales? They’ll light a fire that no algorithm ever could.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. If you’ve made it this far, you’re not just thinking about starting a business—you’re serious about building something that lasts. And today, you’ve unlocked one of the most foundational lessons every entrepreneur must learn: visibility and sales don’t come from being flashy, famous, or flawless—they come from clarity, consistency, and connection.

Let’s recap what we walked through.

First, we talked about clarity over complexity—because if your customer doesn’t know what you do or who you help, they’re never going to pull out their wallet. Simplicity isn’t a weakness; it’s your secret weapon. Define your ideal customer. Get laser-focused on the specific outcome your product or service delivers. The clearer your message, the faster your market will find you.

Next, we dug into visibility through repetition. You don’t need a marketing degree or a viral video to build awareness. You just need to keep showing up. Week after week. Post after post. Conversation after conversation. Familiarity builds trust, and trust is the currency of early sales. Remember, people don’t buy the best product—they buy the product they remember and trust.

And finally, we touched the heart of it all—sales come from real conversations. At the start of your journey, it’s not about automation or complicated funnels. It’s about people. It’s about talking, listening, and offering help. You don’t need to be a “salesperson.” You just need to believe in what you do and be brave enough to share it with someone who needs it.

Now, here’s what I want you to do next:

Take one step today. Reach out to someone. Post your offer. Start a conversation. Don’t wait until you feel “ready.” Don’t wait until your website is perfect or your logo is polished. You don’t need perfect. You need movement. Because movement builds momentum, and momentum builds businesses.

If this episode lit a fire under you—even a small spark—I want you to head over to StartupBusiness101.com and tell me what you’re going to do next. I want to cheer you on. I want to see your progress. And I want to keep giving you the tools, the stories, and the mindset you need to go the distance.

You are not invisible. You are not unworthy. You are not behind.

You are building something important—and it starts right now, with the next person you help.

This has been Startup Business 101, and I’m your host, John Reyes.

And remember: you don’t need permission to show up—just the courage to be relentless.

Let’s get out there and build something that matters.

Startup Business 101

Startup Business 101 is a company that helps people start and run a successful business.  It consists of a Startup Business 101 Blog, Startup Business 101 Podcast, and a Startup Business 101 YouTube Channel.  StartupBusiness101.com has many resources to help entrepreneur navigate their way to begin their business and resources to help them it succeeds. 

If you want to start a company or have questions on what it takes to make your small business successful, check out our resources.

Contact Information

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startupbusiness101.com@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/startupbusiness101/

https://www.facebook.com/TheStartupBusiness101

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@StartupBusiness101

https://startupbusiness101.com/podcast/

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