Key facts
- Your first ten customers come from reaching out one by one.
- Pick one kind of customer: one industry, one role or one type of household, in one area.
- A narrow start makes every email more specific and every conversation more useful.
- Something easy to say yes to: a short trial, a small first project or a founding customer price.
Where do the first few usually come from?
Friends, past coworkers, old clients and people one introduction away. Tell them what you do in one sentence and ask who they know with that problem.
Who counts as a perfect fit?
Pick one kind of customer: one industry, one role or one type of household, in one area. A narrow start makes every email more specific and every conversation more useful.
What should I offer them?
Something easy to say yes to: a short trial, a small first project or a founding customer price. Your goal for the first ten is proof and feedback as much as revenue.
A plan for the first ten
- Write your one sentence
Who you help and what changes for them.
- Tell your network
Message 20 people you know and ask for introductions.
- Build a list of 100 fits
Narrow by role, industry, size and location.
- Reach out personally
Short notes, a reason you picked each person and three follow ups.
- Learn and repeat
After each no, adjust who you target or what you offer.
When does Buzzlist fit, and when does it not?
It fits when
- You are just starting and need proof that people will buy.
- You sell to US businesses or US households.
It does not fit when
- You want to buy a big list and blast it on day one.
- Your first customers are outside the United States. Buzzlist covers US people.
Questions people ask next
How many people do I need to contact to get ten customers?
It depends on your offer, price and fit. Expect to talk to many more people than ten, and track your own numbers from the start.
Should I give my product away free?
A short trial or a small first project is fine. Charging something, even a little, shows you who really values it.
Can Buzzlist help me find the first hundred fits?
Yes. Search the Buzzlist database by title, industry, company size and location on any plan. Free includes 100 contacts a month.
When should I start automating?
Once you know which messages get replies. Then Buzz Drafts and Buzz Send on a paid plan can run the routine for you.