How to Get Customers for Your Business: 15 Ways That Work (2026)

You are good at what you do, but your calendar does not fill itself. Word of mouth comes in waves, and every week someone tells you about a new channel that "really works". The problem is rarely a lack of ways to find customers. The problem is choosing.

Short answer: You get customers for your business through three routes: free channels that mainly cost time (Google Business Profile, reviews, referrals, social media, content), paid channels that work faster (Meta ads, Google Ads, buying leads) and personal outreach (calling, trade shows, re-engaging past customers). Start with what already works, add one channel at a time and track what a new customer costs per channel.

Free ways: they cost time, not ad budget

Free channels fit when you have more time than money. They are slower, but what you build lasts.

1. Google Business Profile. Essential for any local business: people searching "hair salon near me" see the map first. According to Google, managing a profile is free. Tip: choose your primary category carefully and add real photos.
2. Reviews. They strengthen every other channel, because hesitant buyers read them before calling. Tip: ask at the moment the customer is happiest, with a direct link.
3. Referrals. Happy customers and peers are your cheapest salespeople. Tip: describe exactly who you want ("restaurants with a patio downtown"), so people know when to think of you.
4. Social media posts. Work best when your trade is visual. Tip: show your work and your face, not just promotions.
5. Content and SEO. Pages that answer customer questions bring in visitors from Google for months. Tip: turn the ten questions customers ask most into ten pages.
6. LinkedIn. Strong for B2B services. Your personal profile often reaches more people than a company page. Tip: share one lesson from your work twice a week, without a sales pitch.

Working solo? See how to get clients as a freelancer for more on networking and LinkedIn.

Paid ways: faster, as long as you track what a customer costs

Paid channels buy you speed. They are worth it once a new customer brings in more than they cost.

7. Meta ads (Facebook and Instagram). Work for almost any business with a clear offer, even before people search for you. You set your own budget. Tip: run three versions for a week. How to create a Facebook ad walks you through it.
8. Google Ads. You show up for people already searching, like "emergency plumber" plus their city. With search ads, you usually pay per click. Tip: start with a few buying-intent keywords, such as "price" or "quote".
9. Buying leads. You pay per inquiry and get contacts fast, but they are often shared with competitors. Tip: calculate what each customer costs, not just each lead, as in buying leads vs. generating your own.
10. Partnerships. A partner with the same customers but a different offer, like a landscaper and a paving contractor, sends you work for a commission or a return favor. Tip: agree on the terms in writing upfront.
11. Flyers and local media. Still effective for local services in a small area. Tip: add a promo code, or you will never know what it brought in.

Personal ways: direct contact

Personal outreach costs hours, but often leads to the warmest conversations.

12. Cold calling. Effective for B2B services with a high customer value. Check local rules: in the Netherlands, for example, consumers and small businesses may only be called with prior consent since July 2021, according to the ACM. Tip: open with a question about their business, not yours.
13. Personal email. Only works when it is truly about the recipient. In the US, the FTC's CAN-SPAM rules also cover B2B email and require a clear opt-out. In the Netherlands, marketing email needs prior consent unless the person is an existing customer, says the ACM. Tip: never buy an email list.
14. Trade shows and networking events. Strong when your customers gather in one place. Tip: plan the follow-up before the event: who calls whom, and when.
15. Re-engaging past customers. Often the quickest win, because they already know you. Tip: send a quarterly offer to customers who have not bought in a while.

How to get customers through social media: organic or ads?

Social media works in two ways.

Organic posting is free but takes time. You mostly reach people who already follow you. That builds trust, but it rarely brings in new customers quickly. Best for visual trades, like a hairdresser, baker or landscaper.

Advertising costs money, but you reach people who do not know you yet, in the area and audience you choose, so you can aim for inquiries and sales instead of likes.

The strongest approach combines both: see which posts get a reaction and turn those into ads. Show a familiar problem in the first seconds instead of your logo. For more ways to promote yourself, see how to advertise your business.

The 15 ways compared, and where to start

The timings are a rough guide. Choose in three steps:

1. Start with what already works. Ask your last ten customers how they found you, and invest there first.
2. One channel at a time. Add something new only once the last one runs smoothly. Brightside Cleaning (fictional) gets most customers through referrals, so it fixes its Google Business Profile and reviews first, then runs local ads. More in how to get cleaning clients.
3. Track cost per customer. Add up money and hours and divide by new customers. Now you can compare a trade show fairly with an ad.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

With paid channels, the ad itself is often the hardest part. In Genly you paste your website and get ads and videos in your own brand style, with plans from €39 per month. Prefer to hand it off entirely? Genly Agency creates and runs the content for you. Book a call through our agency page.