The question I get asked more than any other is, how do I actually get clients? Do I post everywhere, become a LinkedIn influencer, stand on a street corner with balloons? In this episode I’m going to encourage you to do none of that, because there are three simple ways to land your first clients using the relationships and networks you probably already have. I’ll walk you through the Dream 100, win win referral partnerships, and the Beta Client Blueprint we teach inside Expert Freedom for reaching your first $5K to $10K a month without an audience. If you’ve been doing all the right things online and still aren’t getting hired, this one is for you. Timeline Summary [0:00] – Cold open: why referral clients are the only ones worth your time, and how CEOs really hire [1:05] – You’re doing the right things to get clients, just in the wrong order [2:47] – Fear of being judged pushes new experts toward cold audiences, who are harder to sell and close [4:03] – Visibility and an expert brand come later; a new business survives on cash flow first [5:00] – Strategy one: the Dream 100, born when Chet Holmes applied the 80/20 rule to his sales list [6:06] – How to build your own Dream 100 and focus on proximity to the right 100 buyers [6:50] – A student lands a five location hair salon on the spot at a networking event [8:16] – Strategy two: win win relationships with fractional CFOs, ops leads, and financial advisors [9:17] – Why referred clients close faster, stay longer, and spend more than cold leads [11:10] – Going for quick wins while building for the long term, plus the 30 Days to Clients guide [11:52] – Strategy three: the Beta Client Blueprint for your first $5K to $10K a month with no audience [12:33] – The give and the ask: discounted services in exchange for a case study or testimonial [13:30] – Your first offer is not your scale offer, and getting on the field is how you find out [14:41] – New to business, not new to your expertise: the unfair advantage of trusted relationships [16:43] – The best sales skill is an offer so valuable that mentioning it is enough [17:32] – Putting all three strategies together, and why none of it requires an audience 5 Key Takeaways Right Strategies, Wrong Order. Posting, building a brand, and growing an audience all work, but they come after your first clients, not before. Cash flow keeps a new business alive long enough to do the visible stuff later.Build Your Dream 100. List the 100 organizations or people you’d be the best fit to serve, then focus on getting in proximity to them. Being in front of the right 100 beats virality to 200,000 strangers who would never hire you.Referral Partners Close Faster. The fractional CFO, ops director, or financial advisor already talking to your ideal client can send you work that arrives pre trusted. Those clients close quicker, stay longer, and spend more.Give Before You Ask. Early on you don’t have case studies or testimonials, so offer slightly discounted services to your network in exchange for one. That’s the Beta Client Blueprint, and it’s how you reach $5K to $10K a month without an audience.Your First Clients Are in Your Network. The people who already know, like, and trust you would rather hire a trusted resource than a stranger online. You’re new to business, not new to your expertise.Links: 30daystoclients.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=expert_freedom_show&utm_content=EP005 Enjoyed This Episode? If the Dream 100 or the Beta Client Blueprint gave you a clearer path to your first clients, you probably know another expert who’s still posting into the void waiting for the algorithm. Send this episode to her. And if you’re getting value from the show, follow it, rate it, and leave a review so more experts can find it.
