You’ve identified the problem (Part I), defined your product (Part II), and built your collectors (Part III). You have a good product with an educated guess at pricing. You have a sticky net ready to capture anyone who says “I’m interested.”
Now it’s time to get people into that net — and make your first sale.
Cutting Through the Noise
Fair warning: the moment you start Googling “how do I get more clients,” your algorithm will flood with marketing gurus, lead generation agencies, and funnel wizards. Everyone promising that their system is the one you need.
Ignore all of it. At least for now.
We’re keeping this simple and actionable by one person. The goal isn’t to hire a marketing team or make marketing a full-time job. The goal is a business you can run yourself.
The Marketing Funnel — Simple Version
A funnel is just the path someone takes from “I’ve never heard of you” to “here’s my money.” Three levels:
Top of funnel — leads. People who’ve shown some interest, even barely. They saw your post, clicked a link, or joined your group. They know you exist.
Middle of funnel — prospects. People who’ve said “tell me more.” They signed up for your email, replied to a post, or sent you a DM. They’re leaning in.
Bottom of funnel — buyers. Someone sitting in front of you, ready to decide. They have the problem, they want the solution, they just need to know if you’re the right person.
Your job: move people from top to bottom. That’s it.
Over the course of this series, I’ll teach you four funnels: referral, content, social media, and paid ads. They work independently, but together they multiply one another. Today we’re starting with social media — it’s free, it’s fast, and it’s where your first clients are going to come from.
Setting Up Your Accounts
Instagram: Update your bio to reflect your transformation statement. Who you help, what they get, where to go. No inspirational quotes. No list of credentials.
Facebook: Update your personal profile to reflect your business. Link to your business page from Part III.
Google My Business: Most people forget this one, but it’s often the most important. It’s what search engines and AI bots trust most. If you have a physical location, set this up immediately. If you don’t, focus on Facebook and Instagram.
Linktree: Instagram gives you one link in your bio, but you need to send people to multiple destinations. Set up a link-in-bio tool with your most important destination — email signup or booking page — at the top. The goal is the fewest possible clicks between first impression and booking a conversation.
The Secret of Marketing
There’s a well-known story in marketing about a hot dog vendor who asked an expert how to sell more hot dogs. The answer wasn’t about condiments, signage, or pricing strategy. It was: “Find a hungry crowd.”
You’ve already done that work. In Part I, you identified the problem people are complaining about. In Part II, you built a product that solves it. You know who’s hungry and what they’re hungry for.
Now you stand in front of them and say “I have what you need.”
The 5-1-30 Post
Get your First Product Exercise worksheet from Part II. We’re turning it into your first marketing post.
The format is called a 5-1-30:
“I’m looking for 5 people who want to [achieve one specific result from your worksheet] in the next 30 days. Send me a DM.”
Why this works:
“5 people” creates scarcity and exclusivity. Five feels personal, like you’ll actually pay attention.
“who want to [one result]” is your filter. Everyone without this problem scrolls past. Everyone with it stops and reads.
“in the next 30 days” creates urgency and sets clear expectations. This is a defined sprint, not an open-ended commitment.
“Send me a DM” is the lowest-friction CTA possible. It moves someone from “I saw your post” to “tell me more” in one step.
Post it with a photo of you. Not a stock photo, not a graphic. People buy from people.
When Someone Sends You a DM
They’ve told you “I’m very interested.” Here’s what to do:
Invite them to a conversation. Not a sales pitch. “Tell me a bit about what’s going on for you with [the problem].”
Listen. Let them describe the problem in their own words. Ask follow-up questions. Understand what they’ve tried and what hasn’t worked.
Tell them you have the solution. Connect their problem to your offer. Walk them through the transformation.
Ask if they’d like to start now. Don’t be coy. “Would you like to get started?” or “I have a spot open — want to begin this week?”
Take their money and start delivering.
This should get you one to three new clients. Start with them. Over-deliver.
Because the next funnel we build — the referral funnel — depends entirely on the success of these first few clients. Happy clients tell friends. Blown-away clients become your marketing team.
What’s Next
In Part V, we’ll build a 30-day content strategy. Not random posts — a structured plan that builds authority and keeps people moving through the funnel. I’ll show you how AI can help you create a month of content in a few hours.
Before Part V, complete everything from today:
- Instagram, Facebook, and Google My Business set up and updated
- Linktree configured
- 5-1-30 post published
- First DM conversations started
Do this today. The difference between people who build businesses and people who think about building businesses is the speed at which they act.
Download the First Product Exercise worksheet (Part II)
Chris Cooper is the founder of BusinessIsGood and the former founder of Two-Brain Business, the global gym mentorship company. He’s the author of six books on entrepreneurship and lives in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
