How to Get Your First 10 B2B Customers
This article outlines a practical approach to acquiring your first ten B2B customers, drawing on founder stories and proven sales tactics.
Introduction
Landing the first few paying customers is often the hardest part of building a B2B startup. You have little brand recognition, an unproven product and no case studies. Yet those early logos provide validation, feedback and revenue that fuel further growth. Here's your practical guide, focussing on empathy, experimentation and relationship‑building over brute‑force selling.
1. Start with Deep Customer Understanding
Founders often assume they know their market because they have experienced the problem themselves. But to convince someone else to pay, you need to understand their perspective. Follow a structured customer discovery process:
Identify your ideal customer profile (ICP) – Describe the company size, industry, role and pain points. For example, “CFOs at UK SaaS companies with 10–50 employees struggling with invoicing errors.”
Conduct discovery interviews – Reach out to potential customers via your network or LinkedIn. Ask open‑ended questions about their workflow, challenges and existing solutions. Avoid pitching; listen to learn.
Document language and objections – Capture the exact words prospects use to describe their problems. These phrases will inform your messaging and pitch. Note any reservations they express (e.g. “We’re worried about compliance” or “We have no time to learn new tools”). Addressing objections early builds credibility.
2. Leverage Warm Introductions and Networks
Your existing relationships are your best starting point.
Tap your network – Email friends, former colleagues, mentors and investors explaining what you’re building. Be specific about the problem you solve and the type of customer you’re seeking. Ask if they know anyone who might benefit and request an introduction.
Attend industry events – Join local meetups, conferences and online forums relevant to your ICP. Have genuine conversations rather than delivering a sales pitch. Ask thoughtful questions and offer help.
Use LinkedIn strategically – Connect with second‑degree contacts who match your ICP. Personalise connection requests and reference mutual contacts or shared interests.
3. Deliver Value Before You Sell
First impressions matter. Provide value before asking for money.
Offer a pilot or beta programme – Allow prospects to try your product free for a limited time or with limited features. Provide concierge onboarding and support. Use the pilot to gather feedback and testimonials.
Share insights and resources – Send helpful articles, benchmarks or checklists related to their challenges. For example, if you build compliance software, share a guide on FCA marketing rules. This positions you as a trusted advisor.
Educate rather than pitch – During calls, focus on understanding their situation and offering solutions. Avoid a feature‑dump. Show empathy; as the Every.io article on pitching first customers notes, avoid giving a “harbour tour” of your product and instead centre the conversation on the prospect’s needs.
4. Craft a Discovery‑Driven Pitch
When you finally present your solution, structure the conversation around the prospect’s problem. A proven pitch framework includes:
Introduction and story – Share a brief founder story and why you built the product. People buy into your mission as much as the product.
Discovery questions – Spend most of the meeting asking about their current processes, pain points and goals. Ask follow‑up questions to dig deeper.
Demo tailored to their problem – Instead of a generic demo, focus on features relevant to their needs. Show how you solve the specific pain they described.
Close with next steps – Summarise what you learned, confirm that your solution addresses their challenges and propose a pilot or paid trial. Discuss pricing only if they see the value. Close by scheduling the next call or sending a proposal.
This discovery‑driven approach builds trust and demonstrates empathy. It also reduces objections because the prospect feels heard and understood.
5. Use Social Proof and Early Testimonials
Prospects are more likely to buy when they see others like them benefiting from your product. Even if you don’t have paying customers yet, you can build credibility by:
Showcasing beta feedback – Share anonymised quotes from beta testers or pilot participants. Highlight measurable outcomes (e.g. “Reduced reconciliation time by 30 %”).
Featuring advisers and supporters – If industry experts or recognised investors back you, mention their involvement. Their endorsement signals trustworthiness.
Publishing case studies quickly – Once you land your first customer, create a short case study detailing the problem, solution and results. Use it in subsequent pitches.
6. Iterate on Feedback and Process
Each conversation with a potential customer teaches you something. Use feedback to refine your product, messaging and sales process.
Log objections – Track questions and objections you hear repeatedly. Incorporate answers into your pitch, website FAQ and content.
Shorten the sales cycle – Identify where prospects lose momentum (e.g. confusion over pricing, onboarding complexity). Remove friction by simplifying pricing, creating clear demos or adding self‑serve documentation.
Adapt your ICP – As you speak to more people, you may discover your ideal buyer differs from your initial assumption. Adjust targeting accordingly.
7. Create Urgency and Close Deals
Even when prospects see value, they may delay a decision. To close your first deals:
Offer limited‑time incentives – Provide early adopter pricing, extended trials or exclusive features for the first ten customers.
Set clear next steps – After every meeting, schedule a follow‑up. Send a recap email summarising the problem you’ll solve and the agreed next step.
Use mutual action plans – Collaborate with the prospect to outline the steps required to implement your solution (e.g. sign contract, integrate API, train team). Mutual plans create accountability and momentum.
8. Celebrate Wins and Gather Testimonials
When you land a customer, celebrate both internally and publicly. Thank your network and early supporters; people are more likely to help when they see momentum. Collect a testimonial or review as soon as possible. Ask the customer to describe the problem they had, why they chose your product and the results they achieved. Use this testimonial on your website, in sales materials and on social media.
Conclusion
Getting your first ten B2B customers requires empathy, hustle and iterative learning. Start with deep customer discovery and leverage your network for introductions. Provide value before selling, craft a discovery‑driven pitch and use social proof to build credibility. Learn from every interaction and refine your process.
By focusing on genuine relationships and solving real problems, you’ll earn your first customers and build a foundation for scalable growth. Remember: early sales are not about closing deals at any cost but about finding partners who will champion your product and provide invaluable feedback.
Recommended Viewing
Watch “My SaaS User Growth System” below for a run-through of a growth system used to scale 3 SaaS products to over £1M ARR:
