The paperwork is in order, your invoice is waiting for its first number – only one small thing is missing: clients. The first ones are the hardest, because you don’t yet have references, recommendations or recognition. The good news: the very first clients almost never come through expensive ads, but through channels that are free and accessible to everyone. Here are seven of them, ranked by how quickly they work.
1. Your own network: let people know you exist
The biggest mistake beginners make is secrecy. People can’t send you business if they don’t know you’re taking it on. Write a short, clear message (what you do, for whom, how to contact you) and send it to former colleagues, classmates and acquaintances. Post it on LinkedIn and your personal networks too. Your first client is surprisingly often one step away – they don’t know you, but someone who knows them does.
2. Former employers and colleagues
People who have already worked with you are your strongest reference – they know what you can do and they trust you. A former employer may even be your first client (outsourcing part of the work to you), while former colleagues are now spread across companies that need exactly what you offer. Just watch out for any non-compete clause you may have signed.
3. Referrals: ask for them
A satisfied client will recommend you – but far more often if you ask them to. After every successfully completed project, ask: “Do you know anyone who would benefit from my work as well?” One sentence, nothing pushy, and referrals start to multiply. A referred client is also already half-convinced and less price-sensitive.
4. Networking in person
Events, meetups and entrepreneurial communities are a classic for a reason: people buy from people they know. Don’t go there “to sell”, but to get to know people – business comes later, out of the relationship. Where to start in Ljubljana, we’ve covered in our article on entrepreneurship events; and the easiest everyday way to network is working from a shared space, where potential clients and referrers sit around you.
5. Show your knowledge publicly
Posts, short guides, a talk at a meetup, answers in professional groups – all of this builds your status as an expert even before anyone calls you. You don’t have to become an influencer: one useful post a week on a channel where your target audience is is enough. After a few months, clients start finding you on their own – this is the only channel on this list that eventually works instead of you.
6. Targeted outreach: 20 letters, not 200
Cold outreach works if it’s personal. Instead of mass mailing, pick 20 companies you can demonstrably help, and write each a short, concrete message: what you noticed, what you propose, what the next step is. The response rate to such messages is several times higher than for generic ones – and even five replies out of twenty is an excellent result to start with.
7. A pilot project instead of working for free
“Work for free for your portfolio” is the most common and worst advice for beginners. Free work attracts clients who don’t value your work – and they stay that way even when you set a price. Instead, offer a pilot project: a limited scope, a reduced (but not symbolic) price, a clear agreement that a successful pilot is followed by a reference and full price. The client risks less, and you work for money from day one.
Where first clients actually happen
Points 4, 5 and 6 share a common denominator: being where the people are. At makerSP_CE, networking is a side effect of the working day – at the next desk sits a developer who needs a designer, across the hall an entrepreneur looking for an accountant. Quite a few members found their first or biggest client right in the community. Check the pricing or come for a trial day for €20.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get your first client?
With an active approach (points 1, 2 and 6) typically a few weeks, not months. If there’s no response after two months, don’t keep doing the same thing – change your offer, target group or channel.
Should I lower my prices to win first clients?
Moderately and for a limited time – as a pilot project, not as a permanent policy. Too low a price attracts the wrong clients and leads you into a vicious circle of overwork. How to set a sustainable price, we explain in our article on the hourly rate.
Do I need a website before I start looking for clients?
No. For your first clients, a tidy LinkedIn profile or a single simple landing page is enough. Clients buy a solution to their problem, not your website – that comes along once business is flowing.
Conclusion
First clients come through people: your own network, referrals, communities and targeted, personal messages. Work for money (a pilot project, not for free), ask for referrals and be where your audience is. Everything else – ads, funnels, automations – comes into play once your first ten clients confirm that your business stands.
Reserve your spot at makerSP_CE
Coworking makerSP_CE, Pivovarniška ulica 6, Ljubljana (next to Tivoli Park). A fixed price, no notice period, 24/7 access and free parking.
Web: makerspace.si | E-mail: rezervacije@makerspace.si | Phone: +386 30 393 405
Related reading
- Networking for entrepreneurs: how to build a business network that brings work
- 10 business ideas you can start with minimal capital in 2026
- Entrepreneurship Events in Ljubljana: Where to Find Knowledge, Contacts and First Clients