How to Market Your Business When You Have Zero Followers
If you’ve ever thought, “How do I market my business when no one even knows I exist?”—you’re not alone.
Starting from zero feels overwhelming. No audience, no email list, no social media presence. But every successful brand started the same way.
The good news? You don’t need a big following to get customers.
Here’s a step-by-step plan to grow your business—even if no one knows who you are yet.
Leverage Other People’s Audiences
If you don’t have an audience, borrow one.
Find people and businesses that already have your ideal customers and get in front of them.
1. Partner with Local Businesses
Look for businesses that complement what you do. If you’re a personal trainer, connect with a gym. If you’re a baker, team up with a coffee shop. Offer a joint promotion to introduce each other’s customers to your services.
2. Work with Micro-Influencers
You don’t need celebrities. Micro-influencers (1,000-10,000 followers) often have more engaged audiences than big names. Find ones in your industry, offer value, and collaborate.
3. Be a Guest on Podcasts, Blogs, and YouTube Channels
Instead of building an audience from scratch, tap into existing ones. Find podcasts, blogs, or YouTube channels in your niche and reach out to be a guest. If you provide real value, their audience will follow you.
Create Shareable Content
People won’t follow you just because you exist. They follow because they get something useful.
1. Solve a Problem
Create content that answers common questions or gives practical advice. Example: “3 Tips to Get More Customers Without Spending Money on Ads.”
2. Make It Easy to Consume
Short videos, bite-sized posts, and simple infographics work best. Keep it clear and to the point.
3. Encourage Engagement
Ask a question. Start a conversation. Run a giveaway. The more people interact with your content, the more it spreads.
If your content is helpful, easy to digest, and engaging, people will share it—even if you have zero followers.
Build a Small but Engaged Community
You don’t need thousands of followers. You need the right people paying attention.
1. Start a Private Group
A Facebook Group or Discord community can grow faster than a business page. When people feel like they’re part of something, they stay engaged.
2. Go Live Once a Week
Live videos on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube build trust quickly. Share insights, answer questions, and interact with viewers.
3. Respond to Every Comment & DM
If someone takes the time to engage with you, acknowledge them. Conversations create connections, and connections build loyalty.
Quality beats quantity—100 engaged followers are better than 10,000 who don’t care.
Followers Don’t Equal Customers
A big following doesn’t guarantee sales. What matters is consistent action.
Focus on:
✅ Tapping into other audiences
✅ Creating shareable content
✅ Building a highly engaged community
Do this consistently, and your audience will grow naturally—without needing to go viral.
If you want help creating a marketing plan that actually works, that’s exactly what I do at Elevon Strategies. As a Fractional CMO, I help businesses grow smarter—without the cost of a full-time hire.
