Every solopreneur dreams of getting thousands of customers. But here’s the paradox: your first 10 customers matter more than your first 1,000 visitors.
Traffic is vanity. Paying customers are proof.
Those first 10 aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They’re the people who will:
- Validate your idea with real money.
- Give feedback to improve your product.
- Refer you to your next 50 customers.
- Build the early story you’ll share everywhere.
This is your First 10 Customers Playbook—a practical, action-oriented guide to landing those crucial first believers, without big budgets or pushy sales tactics.
Why First 10 Customers Matter More Than 1,000 Visitors
Think of your journey like climbing a mountain. The first steps matter most because they prove the climb is possible.
- Visitors don’t guarantee validation. You can have 1,000 clicks on your landing page but zero conversions.
- Customers show demand. If even 10 people pay, you know you’re solving a real problem.
- They shape your product. Early customers give feedback no survey can match.
- They become your champions. Those first 10 will share testimonials, referrals, and credibility you can’t buy with ads.
👉 Your goal in the early days isn’t “reach more people”—it’s serve a few deeply, then scale.
Free Channels to Find Your First 10
You don’t need paid ads or PR agencies. The best early customers come from free, organic channels where people already hang out.
1. LinkedIn
- Share posts about the problem you’re solving.
- Join relevant industry groups.
- DM people who engage with your posts.
- Example: If you’re building a tool for freelancers, post about “5 things freelancers waste time on” and then message commenters.
2. Twitter (X)
- Follow hashtags in your niche.
- Reply to relevant threads with helpful comments (not salesy).
- Pin your offer on your profile.
- Use Twitter search like: “Need help with [your niche problem]”.
3. Reddit
- Subreddits are goldmines.
- Find threads where people complain about the problem your product solves.
- Don’t spam—contribute genuinely, then softly mention your solution.
- Example: r/freelance, r/startups, r/solopreneurs.
4. WhatsApp Groups / Local Communities
- Share in professional or alumni groups.
- Offer free trials or early-bird discounts.
- Word-of-mouth spreads fastest in small trusted circles.
👉 These channels are free, personal, and direct. Perfect for early traction.
Outreach Scripts (Cold DM, Warm Intro, Referral)
Reaching out can feel intimidating. But the truth is, people don’t mind being pitched if you’re relevant and respectful.
Here are ready-to-use scripts you can adapt:
Cold DM (LinkedIn/Twitter)
Hi [Name], I saw your post about struggling with [problem]. I’m working on a simple tool that helps [solution].
Would you like to try it? I’d love to get your feedback as one of my early users.
Warm Intro (Through a Friend)
Hey [Friend’s Name], I’m building something for [audience/problem]. Do you know anyone who struggles with this? If yes, could you introduce me?
Referral Ask (From First Customers)
Hi [Name], I’m so glad [product] helped you with [problem]. Do you know 2–3 people who might also benefit? I’d love to extend the same early offer to them.
👉 Notice: none of these scripts are pushy. They’re conversational and focused on value + feedback.
Closing Without Being “Salesy”
Solopreneurs often fear sounding like sleazy salespeople. But selling doesn’t have to feel fake. It’s simply helping someone solve a problem.
Here’s how to close gracefully:
- Frame it as feedback, not a sale.
“I’d love your feedback” feels safer than “Please buy.” - Offer a low-friction next step.
Instead of a $500 contract, start with a free trial, $20 template, or beta access. - Be transparent about being early.
Customers love supporting underdogs. Say:
“I’m in the early stage of building this. Your feedback as one of my first 10 users would mean the world.” - Use scarcity honestly.
“I can only onboard 10 people this week to make sure I give everyone personal attention.”
👉 Remember: people buy from people. If you’re genuine, your first 10 customers will sense it.
Documenting What Worked
Landing your first 10 is just the beginning. The real magic comes from documenting the process so you can repeat and scale.
Here’s what to track:
- Where they came from. LinkedIn? Reddit? Referrals?
- What message worked. Which headline, DM, or post led to conversion?
- Objections raised. Why did some people say no?
- Time to close. How many interactions before they paid?
This log becomes your playbook for customer 11–100.
Example: If 6 of your first 10 came from Reddit and none from Twitter, double down on Reddit.
A Real-World Example
Let’s imagine Priya, a solopreneur in Bangalore, launching a Notion template for remote teams.
- She shared a LinkedIn post: “5 mistakes remote teams make with task management.”
- From 50 likes, she DM’d 10 people. 3 agreed to try.
- She joined r/productivity on Reddit, replied to 2 threads, and got 4 sign-ups.
- She asked her first users for referrals and got 3 more.
Within 3 weeks, Priya had 10 paying customers. She documented everything: LinkedIn > Reddit > Referrals worked best.
👉 That early momentum gave her confidence (and testimonials) to scale.
Final Takeaways
- Don’t chase 1,000 visitors. Focus on your first 10 paying customers.
- Use free channels—LinkedIn, Twitter, Reddit, WhatsApp—to find them.
- Approach with value-first outreach scripts.
- Close without pressure by being honest, helpful, and transparent.
- Document everything so you can scale smarter.
Your first 10 customers aren’t just buyers—they’re your partners in shaping the business.
Once you win them, the next 100 become much easier.