Door-hangers, Facebook groups or Google? Where first customers really come from
We asked verified owners where their first 100 customers came from. The cheapest answers worked best.
In 30 seconds
- Visible work sells: neighbours watch
- Local Facebook groups beat paid ads for most trades
- Ask every happy customer for one name, by name
The free job on the street
For trades where the result shows from the street, one free or cheap job is the best advert. Tyler washed one driveway and leafleted 500 houses around it.
Six streets, not a whole town
Dan leafleted six streets, 3,000 leaflets, and got 41 customers in the first month. The leaflet said one thing: windows, every four weeks, from £11, pay by direct debit.
The group chat
Luca washed cars for free in his own street for two weekends, then posted in local Facebook groups once a week. It costs nothing and people remember the name.
What didn’t work
Paid ads came up again and again as the thing owners tried too early. They work better once you know your price and your area.
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