Relevant introductions
Ask existing contacts whether they know someone facing the problem. Explain the fit so the introduction is useful.
FOUNDER GUIDE / CUSTOMER ACQUISITION
How to find your first ten customers
Plan a focused sales experiment, learn from real conversations and improve one step at a time.
Choose one customer and one clear offer
Your first ten customers are a learning milestone, not a guaranteed outcome. Start with the customer group you understand best. State the result you help them work toward, what you deliver, the price and the limits of your offer.
If you cannot yet explain why this problem matters to that group, begin with customer interviews and idea validation.
Build a small, relevant prospect list
List people or organisations with a plausible need for your offer. Use professional context, introductions or public business contact routes appropriately. Avoid mass scraping or adding people to marketing lists without a suitable basis.
Record the customer’s context, why the offer may fit and the best appropriate channel. A small list of relevant prospects is easier to learn from than a large list of unqualified names.
Use three routes you can manage
Practical demonstrations
Show a short example of your process or result. Be clear about which parts are samples and which are delivered work.
Useful community contributions
Answer real questions or share a practical resource where participation rules allow it. Mention your service only when relevant.
Ask for a small, specific next step
A short conversation, demonstration or scoped pilot is easier to assess than a vague promise to “transform your business”. Clarify time, cost and what happens next. Treat silence or a decline respectfully; do not continue unwanted follow-ups.
Before you propose paid work, make the deliverables and cancellation terms clear. Do not invent urgency, testimonials or scarcity.
Track the funnel without inventing benchmarks
| Measure | What to record | What it helps you ask |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant prospects | People who fit the customer definition | Is the audience specific enough? |
| Conversations | Prospects who discuss the problem | Is the message relevant? |
| Proposals | Clearly scoped offers made | Is the solution worth considering? |
| Customers | Accepted, paid orders where applicable | Does the offer convert interest into commitment? |
| Delivery feedback | What worked and what did not | Can the service be improved and repeated? |
For a clearly defined period, proposal conversion = accepted proposals ÷ proposals sent. For example, 2 acceptances from 8 proposals is 25%. This small illustrative sample is not a target or a forecast.
Review weekly and change one thing
Choose the most significant obstacle: reaching the right people, getting a conversation, proposing a useful service or delivering it reliably. Change one element so you can learn what helped. Keep a record of why prospects declined.
After a successful delivery, ask for honest feedback. Request permission before publishing a customer’s name, quote, logo or business results.
A two-week starter plan
- Days 1–2: Define the customer, offer and evidence from earlier conversations.
- Days 3–5: Identify relevant prospects and choose an appropriate contact route.
- Days 6–10: Hold conversations and offer a specific next step where there is a fit.
- Days 11–14: Review responses, refine the offer and plan the next experiment.
This schedule is an exercise, not a promise of ten customers in two weeks.
Check whether the offer can sustain the business
Use the pricing and break-even worksheet to connect price with delivery costs. The entrepreneurship program curriculum brings customer validation, sales and operations together.