How Beginners Land Their First Client


// The Stages
I can't remember the number of times that I've said that I'm going to launch my own business (and then make it a success).
I started a little consultancy business in lockdown called 'SalesChange' which delivered both sales coaching and social media support (I created graphic posts for clients on Instagram) but once lockdown ended, work picked back up and the world had less free time to be creative (amongst other things) so I packed it all in and went hard on the day job.
I've also wanted to start a marketing agency for as long as I can remember - but the thing has always been that my imposter syndrome would always tell me that I didn't know anything about marketing so it's always been a pain in the ass to get going. But that didn't stop the niggle - I needed to do it.
There are different stages to starting a business - let me explain...
// The Dream
Looking at your plan, dreaming up a vision of what your business will look like and then sitting with that vision - thats the dream phase. I've sat in this position for as long as I can remember and it's a nice place to be in but you're forever sitting with your other friend 'procrastination' and you run the risk of becoming best friends with him and his other friends - inaction and comfort zone..
It's a lovely place to be though because you can dream up all your ideas in a safe space though, knowing that you don't have any responsibilities to actually do anything and you can tell as many people as you like that you're going to do this and you're going to do that..
When people hear your dream for the first time, they might become excited and tell you that it's a great idea but once you've shared it with them over and over again - they'll start to wonder whether you're serious.
Thats when you need to take the action - yes, I get it.. it's a daunting thing to do because you have to actually do some of the things that you've been chatting about for a long time but without the action, you're just a dreamer and those people that you've been telling your dream too won't have the same enthusiasm when you've relayed the 47th iteration of that dream - it's a case of put up or shut up.
Dreaming is an important stage because you're building that vision in your own mind and giving yourself time to sit in that space and see how it feels - as with every sale - if you can't convince yourself that you need it, you can't convince other people.
Then, when you're comfortable with the dream - you tell other people and if they're not receptive (and they're people you trust) then your enthusiasm might wain.. or if the dream is stronger than their opinions, you'll push through anyway.
I've had PLENTY of dreams which have sat in my own mind for a long time, only to be told to people and their initial reaction has immediately made me realise that it's probably not the right thing for me and it's stopped the next stage.
Let me just say, my latest business was in the dream phase for a loooooong time - probably 3-4 years which is a long time. Sometimes, when a dream sits with you for that long, you end up becoming best friends with your dreams best mate 'procrastination' and it never becomes a reality but given that once upon a time, I bought the domain name Saleschange.agency - it was always a going to happen, it was just a matter of time and then...
// The Action Phase
You're moving - you're actually doing it.
There was once a dream I held - it was just a fun dream but I wanted to DJ in the local bars in Portsmouth (I'm talking about when I was in my 20's, not in the last 20 years have I thought about this dream) but I thought I could mix and hold a crowd in a bar better than these other grease monkeys who were playing Dexy's Midnight Runners as a crowd pleaser - I'd just come back from the Falkland Islands in the Army and I was in the midst of my 'DJ' era where I was presenting radio for a local station and I wanted to take that to the next 'level'.
Now, I realise that playing tunes in the 'Fuzzy Duck' in Portsmouth was likely not the next level but this was my dream and I wanted to sit with it for a while.
When that dream was relayed to people around me - it was always met with laughter and that was it. The end of that dream.
But my latest business 'Let Them Create' wasn't met with laughter - it was met with a reassuring nod and a kind of enthusiasm which made me enthusiastic myself. I wanted to actually do it to make the people who believed in me proud.
Let Them Create was a name which was created in a few days - It wasn't a long protracted drawn out process, I spoke with a few people I trust (again) and bounced around ideas but this one kind of 'stuck'..
The next thing you need to do in the action phase is to actually take action which is unfortunate as I was still talking with that damn buddy of 'dream' called 'procrastination' and he really didn't want me to do anything - he kept telling me that we'll get round to it soon and that when we do get round to it, we'll be successful so what was the rush.
So, in May/June 2024 I put off the idea (until I took actual action and registered the business) - it was a bold step as I still held the dormant company of SalesChange and I really didn't want to have to file two sets of accounts and make confirmation statements for two dormant companies but I did it anyway and then, again sat with my friend procrastination.
I think the thing about action is that there is a direct correlation between how much time you've dreamed and how long it took for you to get to action - the longer the dream, the longer the inaction in the action phase because you've spent so much time thinking about your dream that you've lost your path on the actual route to completion and then you're just stuck with so many thoughts of what you should do.
July and August 2024 were stuck in this phase before I actually started to create a website (every successful business needs a website) - I know that this shouldn't have been the first action but I needed to sort out the working process in my head - yes, I had a video marketing agency but I had no clients and to get clients, I needed to offer something - but what?
The thing about working in the creative space is that there is a lot of ideas which bounce around and when you look at the successful companies out there - the ones who are making an impact - they probably have their offering nailed down, so I looked at what was working and changed it a little to fit with how I wanted to deliver a service.
Every idea nowadays is just a recombination of every other idea and there is nothing wrong with that.
You have to just build momentum in the 'action' phase - without that, you'll slip back into the grasps of procrastination and it's important to stay away from him in this phase.
I also started thinking about 'social collateral' in this moment and how I could prove that my idea was worth something to people.
Thats when I started to think about offering out some ideas to people - helping them for free with video ideas.
I want to tell you something right now which is important.
You will make mistakes. And thats ok.
I offered out video work for free and I made a mistake - a really fucking big mistake - I shot most of the footage on my camera in the wrong setting and all the photos I took were also shot in the wrong settings which means that any photos from the day (and the majority of the footage) was underexposed, in the wrong camera picture profile and ultimately, unusable.
People always say that you shouldn't do work for free when you start but doing things for free and for 'favours' allows you to make these small (yet big) mistakes and it allows you to remember to check everything when you pick up your first paid client.
// The Paid Client
And that’s where I landed.
After doing some free work, tweaking my approach, and testing out my sales pitch in a low-pressure environment, I finally landed a client. It felt monumental – not because it was a huge contract or a life-changing deal, but because it represented the first tangible proof that this idea, this business, could actually work.
In November and December, I started to reach out to people in my network, cautiously testing the waters. Everyone always says your first client is likely someone you already know, and I have to say – they’re absolutely right.
Familiarity breeds trust, and when you’re starting out, that trust is priceless. My client was a previous acquaintance, someone I’d worked with tangentially before, and the timing just clicked. We’re now gearing up to shoot some video work together, and it feels like a huge step forward.
Here’s the thing about landing that first client, it’s more than just a business transaction - It’s validation.
It’s proof that your skills, your ideas, and your work have value in the real world and that dream wasn't a stupid idea after all. But it also comes with a wave of mixed emotions. There’s excitement, sure, because you’ve done it! But there’s also fear. A little voice in the back of your head starts whispering things like, What if they regret hiring me? What if I mess this up? What if I’m not actually good enough?
Of course, thats the imposter syndrome talking – the unwelcome companion of every new business owner and one which has been visiting me a lot over the last few months.
That constant niggle, the feeling that you’re a fraud and someone’s going to figure it out, is something I’ve felt in a way I never experienced while working for someone else. When you’re selling a product or service on behalf of another company, there’s a level of detachment. You’re representing a brand, not yourself. But when it’s your business, when the thing you’re selling is something you’ve built from the ground up, it feels deeply personal and that's scary.
Suddenly, every decision feels weighty. Did I price this right? Did I overpromise? Will the client actually like what I deliver? It’s exhausting, and it’s easy to spiral into self-doubt - I'm trying my best right?
The truth is, those feelings are normal. They’re part of the process, and the only way to quiet them is to keep moving forward. Action is the antidote to imposter syndrome. The more you deliver, the more you see the impact of your work, the quieter that voice becomes but it's hard!
The first invoice being paid was important because I realised something important - this wasn’t just about proving myself to others; it was about proving myself to me. Seeing someone invest in my business gave me the confidence to keep going, even when I felt unsure.
One thing I wish I’d known at the time is that it’s okay to feel scared. In fact, it’s a good sign. It means you’re doing something that matters to you. And if you’re feeling all those nerves, it’s a reminder to take a step back and appreciate how far you’ve come.
So, here’s my advice: enjoy the ride. Savor that first paid invoice – take a screenshot, frame it if you want, because it’s not just a receipt. It’s the proof that you’ve turned a dream into something real. Yes, you’ll feel worried, anxious, and maybe even a little out of your depth. But you’ll also feel proud, energized, and ready to take on whatever comes next.
And remember – this is just the beginning. That first client is a milestone, but it’s not the destination. It’s the first chapter of what will (hopefully) be a long and rewarding journey. Keep going, even when it feels tough, because there’s nothing quite like building something of your own.
// The Growth Phase
After you’ve landed your first client, I can tell you that there’s this mix of exhilaration and fear.
You’ve proved the concept; the idea has legs, and someone out there values your work enough to pay for it. But now, you’re standing on the edge of something bigger, and that can be both thrilling and overwhelming - this is where I'm at right now.
The growth phase is where your business starts to take shape, and this is when you realize it’s not just about doing the work – it’s about creating systems, building relationships, and figuring out how to scale. For me, I want to get my first client paid shoot done and edited to make sure they are happy (again, this could be the imposter talking) but I want to make sure it's right before using that experience to do more.
This phase starts small – maybe it’s creating a consistent workflow for delivering services, setting up proper invoicing, or even just deciding what my business hours will be (because yes, in recent months, I've been working late, at the weekends as I'm trying to meet a self-imposed deadline). I can almost see what the next battles are - I'm going to be figuring out how to streamline video production, from concept to delivery, without burning myself out or compromising quality.
And then there’s the marketing.
Growth means I have to start putting myself out there, not just once, but over and over again. I'm going to have to show up on social media when I’d rather hide, posting my wins (and sharing those mistakes) for others to see. I'm fairly good at building a brand that people recognise and trust. But consistency is key.
You might feel like you’re shouting into the void at first, but it’s about staying visible until the right people take notice.
Another part of my growth is going to be learning to value my time. After those initial free gigs, I'm starting to understand that my work has worth – not just in the quality of the product but in the time, energy, and creativity I'm pouring into it.
Pricing is tricky, especially when you’re new and the temptation is to undercut yourself just to get the client.
Don’t do it. Know your worth and stand by it.
The growth phase is messy. It’s full of trial and error, and there will be times when you feel like you’re barely holding it together. But it’s also the phase where the dream starts to feel real. You’re no longer just imagining what could be – you’re building it, piece by piece, with every email, every project, and every small win.
And here’s the best part: you don’t have to have it all figured out. Growth isn’t about perfection; it’s about momentum. It’s about showing up every day, even when you’re not sure what the next step is, and trusting that if you keep going, you’ll get there.
For me, growth is about pushing past the fear of failure, knowing that every mistake I make is a lesson learned and another step toward creating something that matters.
It’s hard work, but it’s worth it – because every bit of effort you put in brings you closer to the business you’ve been dreaming of.
Now, for me - I need a new client.. back to the grind.