How to Find Your First 10 Customers

Why the First 10 Are Different (And Harder)

Your first 10 customers require completely different tactics than customers 100-1,000.

The reality:

Customers 1-10: Manual outreach, founder-driven, doesn't scale Customers 10-100: Word of mouth, initial loops starting Customers 100-1,000: Scalable channels begin working Customers 1,000+: Growth systems, paid acquisition

Most founders fail because they try to use customer 100 tactics to get customer 1.

What works at 0 customers:

• Direct outreach
• Founder involvement
• Manual everything
• Over-delivering
• Personal relationships

What doesn't work at 0 customers:

• Paid ads (too expensive, no optimization data)
• SEO (takes months)
• Content marketing (no audience yet)
• Viral loops (need users first)
• PR (nobody cares about unknown startups)

Accept this: Your first 10 customers will come from hustle, not hacks.

Before You Start: Do You Have Something People Want?

Critical validation questions:

Have you talked to potential customers?

• Not "would you use this?" (everyone lies)
• But "what's your current painful problem?"

Does your solution address a real, painful problem?

• Not "nice to have"
• But "I need this now and will pay for it"

Can you clearly articulate who you're for?

• Not "everyone" (red flag)
• But "busy parents with kids under 5" (specific)

If you can't answer these clearly, stop and validate first.

Finding customers for something nobody wants is impossible.

Method 1: Your Network (The Obvious Start)

Start with people you already know—easiest warm intros.

Who to reach out to:

✅ Friends and family (who fit your customer profile) ✅ Former colleagues ✅ LinkedIn connections ✅ College classmates ✅ Industry contacts ✅ Twitter/social followers

How to ask (the right way):

❌ Wrong: "I built this thing, can you try it?" ✅ Right: "I'm solving [specific problem]. Do you know anyone who struggles with [problem]?"

Ask for introductions, not direct sales.

Script:

"Hey [Name], I'm working on a solution for [problem]. I know you work in [industry]—do you know anyone dealing with [problem] who might be interested in chatting? Looking for early feedback from people actually experiencing this."

Set the right expectations:

• You're not pitching (yet)
• You want to understand their problem
• Product is early/rough
• You'll over-deliver for early customers

Goal: 3-5 conversations from your network → 1-2 first customers

Method 2: Direct Outreach (Cold Emails That Work)

Your first customers won't come to you—go to them.

Finding leads:

LinkedIn:

• Search for job titles of ideal customers
• Filter by location, company size, industry

Twitter:

• Search for people complaining about problems you solve
• "@[competitor] is terrible" = potential customer

Industry forums/communities:

• Reddit (relevant subreddits)
• Industry-specific forums
• Facebook groups
• Slack/Discord communities

Review sites:

• People reviewing competitors (especially negative reviews)
• "I wish [competitor] had [feature you offer]"

The cold email that works:

Subject: "Quick question about [their problem]"

Body:

Hi [Name],

I noticed you [specific observation about them—recent post, their company, their role].

I'm working on a solution for [specific problem] that [unique benefit]. 

I'm looking for 2-3 people dealing with [problem] to try it first and give feedback.

If this is something you're dealing with, I'd love to chat for 15 minutes. If not, no worries at all.

[Your name]

Why this works:

✅ Personalized opening (shows it's not automated) ✅ Specific about problem (proves relevance) ✅ Low-commitment ask (just a conversation) ✅ Easy opt-out (respectful)

Volume required:

Expect: 50 emails → 5-10 responses → 2-3 customers

Send 10-20 personalized emails daily.

Method 3: Go Where Your Customers Already Are

Don't wait for them to find you—show up where they gather.

Online communities:

Reddit:

• Find relevant subreddits
• Participate genuinely for 2-3 weeks
• Share helpful comments (not pitches)
• Once established, mention your solution in relevant threads

Example: Someone posts "I'm struggling with [problem]" Your reply: "I actually built something for this exact issue. Happy to let you try it free if you give feedback. DM if interested."

Facebook Groups:

• Industry groups
• Problem-focused groups
• Professional communities

Slack/Discord communities:

• Niche communities for your target market
• Answer questions, provide value
• Mention product when relevant

Hacker News, Indie Hackers, Product Hunt:

• "Show HN" posts
• Launch threads
• Ask for feedback

Warning: Most communities ban self-promotion. Lead with value, not pitches.

Offline (if applicable):

• Industry conferences (attend, don't exhibit yet—too expensive)
• Local meetups
• Professional associations
• Trade shows (visit booths, don't rent one yet)

Goal: Be visible where your customers already spend time.

Method 4: Leverage Competitors' Customers

Your competitors already found your customers—learn from them.

Strategies:

Review sites:

• G2, Capterra, Trustpilot
• Find negative reviews of competitors
• Reach out: "I saw you had issues with [competitor]. We built [solution] specifically to address [their complaint]. Would love to show you."

Competitor's social media:

• People tagging/mentioning competitors
• Complaints and feature requests
• "I wish [competitor] did [thing you do]"

Alternative to [Competitor] searches:

• Google: "alternative to [competitor]"
• Reddit: "[competitor] alternatives"
• These people are actively looking to switch

Comparison pages:

• Create "[Your Product] vs [Competitor]" page
• Rank for "[competitor] alternative" searches
• Capture people already looking

Ethical note: Don't bash competitors. Highlight your unique benefits honestly.

Method 5: Content + Direct Outreach Combo

Share valuable content that attracts your ideal customers, then reach out.

The process:

Step 1: Create genuinely helpful content

Not promotional—actually useful.

Examples:

• "10 Ways to Solve [Problem] Without Buying Software" (yes, really)
• "Why [Competitor] Fails at [Thing] (And How to Fix It)"
• "Guide to [Process Your Tool Helps With]"

Step 2: Share strategically

• Reddit (relevant subreddits)
• Hacker News
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Industry forums

Step 3: Engage with commenters

People who comment often have the problem.

Step 4: Direct outreach

"Hey, saw you commented on my post about [topic]. Are you dealing with [problem]? I'm working on a solution and looking for early users to give feedback."

This builds credibility before the pitch.

Method 6: The "Concierge" Approach

Manually deliver your service before automating it.

How it works:

Instead of building full product, do the work manually for first customers.

Example - Meal planning app:

Instead of building algorithm:

1. Find 10 people wanting meal plans
2. Manually create personalized meal plans for them weekly
3. Charge them
4. Learn what they actually need
5. THEN automate what you learned

Benefits:

✅ Validates people will pay ✅ Learn real needs before building ✅ Get customers NOW (not after 6 months building) ✅ Relationship with customers from day one

This is how Food on the Table started—founder manually made meal plans before building software.

Method 7: Give It Away (Strategically)

Free for early adopters—but with conditions.

The offer:

"I'm looking for 10 early users to try this free for 3 months in exchange for:

• Weekly feedback calls
• Testimonial/case study if it works
• Input on product direction"

Where to offer:

• LinkedIn posts
• Twitter
• Reddit
• Industry Slack channels
• Direct outreach

Critical rules:

✅ Still qualify them (must be ideal customer, not just freebie seekers) ✅ Set clear expectations (feedback required, not just free forever) ✅ Transition to paid (after 3 months, pay or churn)

These free users become your first paying customers if you deliver value.

Method 8: Leverage Existing Platforms/Marketplaces

Use platforms where customers already have credit cards out.

Examples:

If you have a service:

• Upwork/Fiverr (offer service before/alongside product)
• Gig platforms in your niche

If you have software:

• Shopify App Store
• WordPress plugins
• Browser extensions
• Slack/Discord bots

Benefits:

• Built-in traffic
• Trust/credibility from platform
• Payment already integrated

Drawback: Platform takes cut, but worth it for first customers.

Method 9: Partner with Someone Who Already Has Your Customers

Find complementary businesses and collaborate.

Who to partner with:

• Non-competing businesses serving same customers
• Influencers/creators in your niche
• Consultants/agencies who have your clients
• Community leaders

The offer:

• Revenue share
• White-label your solution
• Affiliate partnership
• Co-marketing

Example:

You build invoicing software for freelancers.

Partner with:

• Freelance coaches (recommend to clients)
• Freelance communities (exclusive offer)
• Adjacent tools (time tracking, contracts)

Approach:

"I built [solution] for [their audience]. What if we [partnership idea] so your community gets [benefit]?"

Method 10: Host a Workshop or Webinar

Teach something valuable, then offer your solution.

The structure:

Topic: How to solve [problem] (not "why my product is great")

Content: Actually teach them how to solve it

Offer: "If you want help implementing this, I built a tool..."

Where to host:

• Free webinar (Zoom)
• LinkedIn Live
• Twitter Spaces
• Industry communities
• Local meetups

Promotion:

• Share in communities
• LinkedIn posts
• Twitter
• Direct invites to warm connections

Goal: 20-30 attendees → 5-10 conversations → 2-3 customers

The First Customer Script (The Actual Conversation)

When you get someone interested:

Opening:

"Thanks for taking time to chat. Tell me about how you currently handle [problem]."

Listen 80%, talk 20%.

Understanding phase:

• What's painful about current solution?
• What have you tried?
• How much does this problem cost you (time/money)?
• What would ideal solution look like?

Demo phase:

"Based on what you shared, let me show you what I've built. It's early/rough, but I think it solves [their specific pain]."

Show, don't tell. Keep it brief (10 min max).

Feedback:

"What do you think? Does this solve the problem you described?"

The ask:

If positive response:

"I'm looking for 10 early customers to work closely with as I refine this. Would you be interested in trying it? [If charging:] It's $X/month, and I'll work directly with you to make sure it delivers value."

Handling objections:

"It's too expensive": "What price would work for you as an early customer?"

"I need to think about it": "Totally understand. What questions do you have that would help you decide?"

"I need my boss/team to approve": "Want to do a call with your team? I can walk them through it."

Overcoming Founder Fears

Fear 1: "I'm bothering people"

If you've done customer research, you're offering to solve their real problem. That's helpful, not bothersome.

Fear 2: "What if they say no?"

They will. Most will. You need 50-100 "no"s to get 10 "yes"s. Rejection is the process.

Fear 3: "My product isn't ready"

It never will be. Ship now, improve based on real feedback.

Fear 4: "I'm not good at sales"

Your first 10 customers don't need "sales"—they need genuine problem-solving conversations.

The Success Metrics

Track these numbers:

• Outreach sent: 50-100 contacts
• Responses: 10-20 conversations
• Demos/trials: 5-10 people
• Paying customers: 1-3 first, then 10 total

Timeline: 4-8 weeks of intense hustle

Reality check: If after 50-100 genuine outreach attempts you have zero interest, your problem/solution fit might be off. Revisit assumptions.

What to Do With Your First 10 Customers

Once you have them:

Over-deliver absurdly:

• Personal onboarding
• Weekly check-ins
• Fix issues immediately
• Implement their feedback

Learn everything:

• Why did they buy?
• What problem were they really solving?
• What nearly made them not buy?
• What features do they actually use?

Get testimonials:

• "What was life like before using this?"
• "What changed after?"
• Video testimonials (gold)

Ask for referrals: "Who else do you know dealing with [problem]?"

These 10 become your foundation for the next 100.

Finding your first 10 customers requires direct, manual, unglamorous hustle—not scalable growth tactics. Start with your network for warm introductions, use personalized cold outreach targeting people actively experiencing your problem, participate authentically in communities where customers gather, and leverage competitors' dissatisfied users. Consider offering free trials with feedback commitments, partner with those who already serve your audience, or manually deliver your service before automating. Have genuine problem-solving conversations, not sales pitches. Track 50-100 outreach attempts, expect 10-20 responses, convert 1-3 initially. These first customers validate your idea and become your foundation. Start hustling today.