Free underrated ways to get your first customers (that actually work)
Hey everyone!
I know the struggle of getting those first customers.
Everyone talks about "build a community" and "create content" - and they're right, that's the long-term play. But while you're doing that, here are some methods I've actually tested that can get you results right now:
- Google Search Operator Hacks
This one's simple but powerful. You can find emails of your target audience using specific search queries. For example, if I'm looking for YouTubers in a specific niche:
"your niche keyword" inurl:channel "@gmail.com"
You can use an AI chatbot to help you craft custom queries ones for your specific case.
After searching, copy everything, throw it into ChatGPT or Claude, and ask it to format the data into a clean table. For cold emailing, if you're just starting, you can use free Gmail + Sheets extensions like YAMM. Or Google has a free mail merge guide: https://developers.google.com/apps-script/samples/automations/mail-merge that you can use for free.
- Facebook Goldmine
Facebook is still massive, and their targeting is insane. Here's what I do:
Find Facebook groups/pages where your ideal customers hang out
Look at recent posts and see who's liking/commenting
Send friend requests to those people
Either reach out directly or start providing value through organic content first then DM them
The key is being genuine - don't just spam. Actually engage and help.
- SaaS Subreddits (haven't fully tested but looks promising)
Communities like r/SideProject, r/SaaS, r/microsaas actually encourage sharing products. I've seen posts get thousands of views without any following. If you have a B2B or Prosumer product, this could be helpful.
Look, there are obviously other methods - content creation, free tools, SEO, open source contributions, etc. But these three are actionable right now, today, with zero budget.
The common thread? Go where your customers already are, provide value first.
What methods have worked for you when starting out? Always curious to learn from others who've been in the trenches.
Thank you for reading! and have a nice day :)
