By Chava Shapiro, CHYE

At CHYE we get some version of this question all the time from people who are just starting out:
“I’m launching my business and I need clients. But I don’t have a portfolio full of past work or a big network to lean on yet. Where do I even start?”

It’s a fair question. When you’re brand new, lead gen can feel like a chicken-and-egg problem: you need clients to build credibility, but it seems like you need credibility to land clients.
The good great news is that you can build both at the same time. It doesn’t have to take months or years. You can start right now, and see traction in a matter of weeks.

Most people assume they need a big social media following, a fancy website, or money to invest in paid marketing before they can land good clients. So they spend a month agonizing over brand colors and a weekend building a 57-page business plan nobody asked for.

It feels productive. It might even look productive. But it’s really just a sophisticated way of avoiding the few things that will actually move the needle for your business.
Most people are surprised to hear that you don’t actually need any of those things to get started. What you do need is just a clear message, a willingness to reach out to people, and the commitment to serve the first few who say yes so well that they can’t help but talk about you.

So, let me break down exactly how I’d go about landing my first clients if I were starting from scratch today.

1. Nail your one-liner
Before you reach out to a single person, write a really good one-liner that concisely communicates who exactly you serve, the problem you solve for them, and the positive outcome clients can expect when they work with you.

Slow way down here. I know the instinct is to rush past it and get to the “real” work, but this line is the real work. It’s the foundation of everything else I’m going to recommend you do.

Every email, every intro, every conversation gets easier once this is nailed down.

A vague “I do marketing” or “I’m a fractional CFO” gets a vague shrug. People nod politely, and then they forget you the moment you walk away. A sharp, specific one-liner does the opposite. It makes it instantly obvious who someone should send your way. It sticks in people’s minds, and when they bump into the right person a week or a month later, your name comes back up. In other words, a good one-liner basically does the referring for you.

The magic is in the specifics. “I help people with their finances” is forgettable. “I help SaaS founders who just raised a Series A finally get clean books and a forecast they can trust” is something a listener can act on.

Here’s the litmus test: If a stranger can hear your line and immediately think of a specific person who needs you, you’ve got it right.

If you want some help crafting yours, I recommend watching this short video from Donald Miller (author of Building a Storybrand), which walks through a one-liner exercise along with some great examples:

Once you’ve got a draft, don’t just leave it in a doc somewhere. Write it down on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet. Pull it out, read it, and practice it out loud until it rolls off your tongue.

Then test it on real people. Say it to the person next to you in the grocery line: “Hey, I’m working on a one-liner about my business—mind if I try it on you and tell me if it’s clear what I do?” Most people are happy to help. If their eyes light up with “oh, so you do X,” you’re there. If they hesitate or ask a clarifying question, you’ve found the fuzzy part.
Try it on family and friends too, especially the ones who don’t really know what your business does. And keep refining it—a great one-liner usually isn’t the first draft. It’s shaped and honed by every blank stare and every “oh, that’s cool” you collect along the way.

2. Work your network
Once you have your one-liner, it’s time to put it to work. And that starts with the people you already know.

First, make the longest list you can of everyone in your world. Because your network always starts with the people you already have a connection with:
Past clients
Colleagues
Friends
Family
Old connections from previous jobs
People you’re connected to online

Just start a running list and keep adding. You’ll quickly realize you know a lot more people than you thought you did.

Now, take that list and give everyone a score from 1 to 5 in two categories:
How likely they are to be somehow connected to your ideal client
How close you are with them, meaning how much they already like you, how strong the relationship is, and how much they’d genuinely want to see you succeed

One is low, five is high. Add up each person’s two scores.

The highest totals are your best connection opportunities. Anyone scoring 8 or above is a strong connection for your business, and those are the ones to reach out to first. From there, work your way down to the people in the 5-to-7 range, and then the lower scores after that.

Start with the lowest-hanging fruit: that top tier, one email, text, or phone call at a time. You’re strengthening relationships and spreading the word at the same time. Tell them what you’re up to, using the one-liner you just wrote:
“Hey! [Insert introductory pleasantries here.] I recently started a business. I help [these people] solve [this problem] so they can [get this result]. Do you know anyone who fits that description who I could connect with?”

Make it simple, clear, and easy for them to act on. And don’t forget to follow up if they don’t respond the first time. People are busy, life is always life-ing, inboxes are crowded. A friendly nudge a week later is appreciated and expected. As they say, the fortune is in the follow-up.

3. Strengthen your LinkedIn presence
LinkedIn is where a brand-new business owner can punch way above their weight. It lets you build visibility and relationships without needing a long track record to lean on yet, which is exactly what you want when you’re just getting going.

It’s also where people will look you up. When someone hears your name, gets introduced to you, or is deciding whether to take a meeting, one of the first things they do is check your LinkedIn—especially if you don’t have a website yet. For a lot of new business owners, your profile is your homepage right now. That means it’s doing double duty: helping new people discover you, and reassuring the ones who already have your name that you’re the real deal.

(Note: I’m focusing on LinkedIn here because it’s the best fit for most of the service-based businesses I work with. But if another platform is where your ideal clients actually spend their time, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, wherever, then great, that’s where you should be. Most of these tips still apply no matter the platform. Just translate them to fit.)

A few things to focus on:
Optimize your profile
Pay special attention to your headline, especially the first few words of your headline. Those first few words are what people see when you comment on someone’s post, and they’re often what decides whether someone clicks through to learn more about you. Use the same thinking from your one-liner: make it clear who you serve, the problem you solve, and the result you deliver.
From there, write a Profile that speaks to your ideal client’s problem instead of reading like a résumé. Showcase whatever work you have in the “Featured” section, even if it’s one strong sample or a personal project. Ask a former manager or colleague for a recommendation. And use a clean, professional header image and headshot.

Post strategically
When you post, focus on selling the vehicle.

What I mean by that is this. Tips and stories and how-to content is nice, but it doesn’t necessarily make people want to buy from you. The majority of your posts should be about why what you do matters. It should make the case for why they should care.

For example: A marketing consultant should post about why every business needs a real marketing strategy: what happens when you don’t have one, what it costs you, what becomes possible when you do. An accountant should post about why knowing your numbers changes everything, the mistakes people make when they’re flying blind, the peace of mind that comes from clarity.
Make people want the thing you provide. Once they believe they need your vehicle to get them where they want to go, you’re the obvious person to give them a ride. You’ve already demonstrated you understand the problem better than anyone else in their feed.

Comment to extend your reach

Engage with posts from influential people in your target audience’s world, and from potential referral sources. A thoughtful comment gets you seen by everyone following that person and everyone engaging with the post, giving you reach far beyond your own network.

But don’t comment just to comment. Make it insightful, ask a smart question, or add a useful resource. The goal is to show you know your stuff and leave a memorable impression. You’ll often find these conversations continue naturally in the DMs, which is exactly where you want them to go.

Reach out to people who view your profile
If your posts and comments are adding value and your headline is clear, people will start checking you out. It’s worth investing in a LinkedIn plan that shows you who viewed your profile so you can follow up. Something as simple as, “Hey, saw you viewed my profile, thanks! Let me know if I can ever help with anything. Curious what you’re working on these days?” works great.

Keep the focus on them. Be curious, friendly, and helpful, and resist the urge to pitch. Just start a conversation, compliment their work, or ask about their ideal clients so you can refer people their way. If it feels right, suggest a quick call to explore a referral relationship. It’s all about building the connection first.

4. Hustle for your first 3 clients
If you’ve done the work in the last three steps, your first three clients are already within reach. They’ll most likely come from the network you’ve been mining in step 2 and the LinkedIn conversations you’ve been starting in step 3.

Focus on landing those first three, even if that means doing the work for free or for not very much money at the start. I know that can feel counterintuitive, but getting those first three clients matters far more right now than what you charge them.

Those first three clients are your launchpad.

Serve them incredibly well. Go above and beyond. Delight them so thoroughly that they walk away thrilled with your work and a little amazed at what it was like to work with you.
Every one of those clients knows other people they can recommend you to, and there’s nothing more powerful than a genuinely happy client singing your praises.

That’s how you get the referral wheel turning, and you want it turning as soon as you possibly can.

5. Turn them into killer case studies and testimonials
The results you get for those first three clients are proof, and proof is exactly what you’re missing when you’re new. A strong case study lets you walk into any conversation, whether it’s a warm referral, a cold outreach message, or a discovery call, with evidence that you can do what you say you can do.

A good case study tells a simple story: where the client started, what you did, and where they ended up. Capture the before (the problem they came to you with and what it was costing them), the work (what you actually did, kept brief and focused on your thinking, not a task list), and the after (the result, with real numbers wherever you can get them). “Increased their leads by 40% in two months” is far more powerful than “helped with their marketing.”

If you don’t have hard numbers, use the client’s own words. An authentic quote from them about how the work felt and what changed for them can be just as persuasive.

So while you’re delivering great work, keep track of the results, and once you’ve wrapped up, ask each client for a testimonial and permission to share their story. Most happy clients are glad to help.

Now you’ve got three pieces of proof you can reference in DMs, drop into proposals, feature on your website, and pull up whenever a prospect asks, “Have you done this before?”

From there, keep nurturing the relationships you’ve been building, referencing the work you’ve done for these clients.

People do business with people they know, like, and trust. The more you build personal connections, and the more clearly your one-liner tells people exactly what you do, who you do it for, and what problem you solve, the faster your business is going to grow.

A little pep talk before you go

The above tips may be simple. But that doesn’t mean they’re easy. Not even for people who’ve been in business for years. (Ask me how I know!)

Statistically, the vast majority of people who read this article won’t act on it, even when they know, deep down, that these strategies have a real shot at bringing them clients.
Why? Because putting yourself out there when you’re brand new feels vulnerable. The fear of hearing “no” is loud, and it’s easy to let that fear talk you out of the very things that would move you forward.

But if you take only one thing from this article, let it be this: if you take these actions now – putting yourself out there, connecting with people, telling them who you serve, you’ll be in the minority. Most people avoid doing uncomfortable things. And that’s exactly why doing it is what sets you apart. Your willingness to be uncomfortable is your advantage.
Will it be awkward and vulnerable at times? Yes. Will you need to grow a little thicker-skinned and learn to let the brush-offs slide? Without a doubt. Will some people ignore you, even outright reject you? Absolutely. Will it sting a little every time? Probably.

But should you push through and do it anyway?

If you’re serious about getting your business off the ground, the answer should be obvious.

Remember, there’s no failure. Only feedback. So don’t wait until you feel ready. The people who build thriving businesses are the ones who start before they feel ready, and let one small action after another build their clarity and momentum.

Start today. Send the first email. Have the first conversation. Then do it again tomorrow.
Because your future clients are already out there, waiting for someone exactly like you.

At CHYE, we work closely with entrepreneurs at every stage—from startups to established businesses—helping them navigate these exact challenges with clarity, structure, and experienced mentorship.

If you’re building a business today, remember that long-term success is rarely built through shortcuts or appearances. It’s built through patience, discipline, and consistent focus over time.
Those foundations may not always look exciting in the moment—but they are what ultimately create real freedom, stability, and lasting success.

At CHYE, we’re here to support you at every stage—whether you’re starting, growing, or navigating challenges

Book a free mentorship session:
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Chava Shapiro is a copywriter, messaging strategist, marketing consultant, and business mentor for CHYE. Through her boutique copywriting and web agency, Show Me the Copy, she helps businesses clarify their message and turn it into a catalyst for measurable revenue and growth. She’s also the founder of Creative CEO Academy, a high-touch business accelerator and mentorship program that takes solo service providers from overwhelmed and “winging it” to consistent $10K–$20K months without the burnout, stress, and overwhelm.