You've built an amazing product. You know it's amazing because you've been obsessing over it for months.

But somehow, customers…. aren’t… buying it? Your brilliant LinkedIn posts get 3 likes (thanks, mom). Your cold emails go unanswered. Nothing is working.

You start to wonder if anyone actually wants what you've built.

The good news is that getting customers isn't black magic (though it sometimes feels like it). You might just making it more complicated than it needs to be.

So let's talk about two ways to actually get customers and how to stop overthinking your way out of sales.

You've got two basic moves in the customer acquisition game: chase customers or make them chase you. Everything else is just fancy variations on these themes.

Pick Your Fighter – Hunter vs Gatherer

Time to choose your approach (spoiler: you'll probably need both eventually).

Team Outbound = The Hunter 🏹

You're actively stalking your prey (in a totally non-creepy business way). Your weapons of choice:

• Cold emails that don't suck
• LinkedIn messages that actually get responses
• Conference networking
• Phone calls (yes, actual phone calls)
• Door-to-door visits (old school but effective)

Your first mission: Pick ONE outbound tactic. Seriously, just one.

Team Inbound = The Gatherer 🕸️

You're setting traps all over the internet and waiting for customers to wander in. Your toolkit includes:

• Blog posts that people actually want to read
• LinkedIn content that grabs attention
• YouTube videos, TikToks, or whatever the kids are using these days
• Twitter threads that go viral (or at least get 3 likes from your mom)

Tip: Choose ONE content channel. Don't try to be everywhere at once – you'll just be mediocre everywhere.

Outbound is Like Dating (Awkward But Direct)

Outbound is like asking someone out face-to-face.

Scary? Yes. But you get an immediate answer, and you learn exactly what's wrong with your pickup lines (aka your value proposition).

This week, reach out to 10 potential customers. Not next week. This week.

Ask them one question: "What's the biggest pain point in [whatever problem your product solves]?"

The downside of outbound is that it has a timing problem. You email someone today, they say "try me in 3 months." You follow up in 3 months, they're in Cabo. It's like playing customer acquisition whack-a-mole.

It’s also a scaling nightmare.

To make outbound work big, you need to email thousands of people constantly. Your funnel needs to be full – leads at every stage, all the time.

Do this: Set up a simple CRM (Google sheet works). Track every conversation and set follow-up reminders. No more "I'll remember to follow up" – you won't.

Inbound is Like Planting Seeds (Patience Required)

Inbound solves the timing problem.

While you sleep (or work), people are googling their problems and finding your content. When they're ready to buy, boom – there you are, looking like the expert you are.

Start creating one piece of content per week. Blog post, LinkedIn article, YouTube video – pick one platform and publish consistently for at least 3 months.

Keep in mind, inbound is slow. You might create amazing content for months before anyone notices.

So what should I do now?

The answer is what I like to call “The Power Move”. And that’s to go hybrid.

Combo #1: Content + Cold Outreach

Write LinkedIn posts for 3 months → Build small following → Cold email people who already know your name = Way higher response rates

If you've been creating content for a month, start reaching out to people who've engaged with it. They're warm leads disguised as strangers.

Combo #2: Events + Email Marketing

Meet 50 people at a conference → Add them to your newsletter → Send weekly valuable content → Some will buy when timing is right

After every networking event, send a follow-up email within 24 hours. Not a sales pitch – just a "nice meeting you" with a link to your best content.

Your Customer Acquisition Game Plan

Listen up, buttercup: Most founders try one thing, it doesn't work perfectly, and they panic-pivot.

Instead, try this:

1. Pick ONE outbound tactic and do it consistently for 4 weeks
2. If it shows ANY promise (even tiny wins), keep going AND add one inbound strategy
3. Track everything in a simple spreadsheet – what worked, what flopped, what made you want to hide under your desk

Your perfect customer acquisition recipe is out there, but it's probably not the first thing you try. That doesn’t mean you stop trying. It means you double down until you find what works.