How to Get More Clients for Your Small Business in 2025

Getting clients isn’t what it used to be. If you’ve tried to get your first few clients, you probably know this already.

There’s a reason the old “just make a website and wait for people to find you” advice feels so out-of-date.

So yes, the whole landscape has changed.

We’ve got AI tools everywhere, the economy is going up and down, and it seems like every corner is packed with people doing similar things.

It’s a weird time to run a business, but it’s also kind of exciting, if you like figuring things out as you go.

Anyway, here’s what I’ve learned about getting clients for a small business in 2025.

What’s Holding You Back? (Mini Reality Check)

People are messing this up a lot, so let’s clear things up a bit.

Most people who struggle to get clients aren’t lazy or clueless; they’re just stuck on invisible problems:

• You don’t actually say what you do, clearly, anywhere. Or you do, but it’s 50 words long and nobody reads it.
• Your brand doesn’t look like you’ve put in the effort. Maybe you have a logo, but your website looks half-built, or your social profiles are empty.
• No follow-up. You get one inquiry, and you forget to check your email. Or you think following up is “pushy,” so you don’t.
• You’re chasing the quick fix, not building a system. This one hurts.

The thing here I’m going to tell you is, you have to switch from hoping for a lucky break to building a client-getting habit. But that’s easy to say, harder to actually do.

There’s a reason people write books about this stuff. It’s a complicated topic, and even the experts are always learning new things.

First, Define a Strong USP That Actually Works

You hear “USP” everywhere, but most people (including me at first) had no idea what it really meant.

Unique Selling Proposition.

But what does that even look like?

Think of it like this: Why would someone pick you instead of the other ten options that show up in Google, or the local business that’s been there forever?

If you still have no idea, try asking yourself these:

• What’s the most common compliment I get from past clients or friends?
• What’s something my competitors don’t (or won’t) do?
• If a friend were to introduce me, what would they say I do best?
• Who am I NOT for?
• What’s the one thing I wish every client knew about how I work?

Real USPs are specific.

One of my friends runs a print shop, but instead of saying “we print fast,” they tell people, “We get urgent jobs done overnight, even on weekends, no extra charge if you bring coffee.”

It’s weird, but people remember it.

You don’t have to be quirky, just real. Don’t copy some basic mission statement you saw on someone else’s site. People can tell when it’s not you.

Next, Align Your Visual Identity With Your USP

What most of us don’t understand is that we all judge with our eyes, especially online. In 2025, your brand look is the first thing people notice, sometimes before they even read your offer.

Let’s say you have a small juice bar that sells organic drinks, and your business is all about being fresh, healthy, and good for the planet.

But when someone looks at your website, they see dark, a logo with metal-like colors, and lots of technical words, kind of like a tech company.

There are no pictures of fruits, no green colors, and nothing that looks fresh. People might get confused and wonder if they clicked on the right website, even if your juice really is the best around.

The way your business looks should match what you’re selling. Even little things, like your profile photo or the tone of your About page, add up.

Simply, do a quick check.

Does every visual element (logo, fonts, colors, even your profile pic) reflect what you want people to feel about your business?

You don’t need anything that costs you $100 to $500 to build a professional brand look.

I tried a popular tool called Looka to see why people use it for logos. And surprisingly, in about 30 minutes, you can make a nice logo with it.

It also lets you preview your logo on business cards, social media, and even merchandise, which helps you see how it’ll look in real life before you commit.

Whatever tool you use (Looka and Canva are my go-tos), just make sure your visuals match what you’re promising. Consistency builds trust faster than anything else.

Then, Set Up the Right Foundations

Before you try any high-end marketing, let’s make sure your basic stuff is solid.

This might not be exciting, but it really matters for your business growth:

• Your website needs to load fast, if it’s built on WordPress; tools like FlyingPress and Cloudflare help. (I’ve even switched hosts once, came to Cloudways, and it was totally worth it.)
• If you’re selling products, choose Shopify for eCommerce. It offers the best balance of ease-of-use, built-in marketing tools, and reliable payment processing that doesn’t crash during high-traffic sales.
• Make sure your site looks good on mobile. Most visitors will never see the desktop version.
• Write like a human, not a robot. Clear words, simple calls to action (“Get a free quote,” not “Leverage our solutions for scalable business growth.”)
• Add trust: use testimonials, a real author bio, and an FAQ section if you get repeat questions.
• Technical stuff: check that you’re not blocking search bots like GPTBot and BingBot. In 2025, AI tools will be as important as Google for getting seen.

It’s a lot, I know. But do it once (just ask ChatGPT how to do these step-by-step), and it pays off for years.

If you think you can’t do these alone or aren’t comfortable with tech stuff, you can even hire someone from Upwork or Fiverr to handle these tasks for a reasonable price.

You can always change things as you go.

Implement a Smart Marketing Plan (12 Tactics)

Now, let’s go through some strategies one by one. I’ll keep it simple so we can cover everything without taking too much time.

These are like practical approaches you can start using right away.

SEO-First Website

This is the only long-term “magic” I’ve found. Use clear H2s, keep paragraphs short, and link between your own posts in a way that feels natural.

AI tools, like ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc., now scan structure, not just keywords.

Don’t stuff keywords everywhere. Don’t. Write for people, but make it easy for both humans and machines to find the answer quickly.

Promotions That Attract, Not Just Sell

Nobody likes being pushed to buy things all the time, but good deals work. Limited-time discounts, friend referral bonuses, and rewards for repeat customers really help sales.

If you’re using Shopify, you can set up these kinds of offers right from your dashboard or with apps like Smile.io to keep things running on autopilot.

But you don’t have to go crazy with promotions, or people will stop paying attention. Maybe run one big sale each quarter at most, sometimes fewer.

Reengage Your Past Clients

If someone liked your work once, there’s a good chance they’ll buy from you again, or tell a friend, if you give them a gentle reminder.

Simple emails, check-ins, or automated reminders, which I can recommend Constant Contact for, while others love MailChimp, are your best friends.

Sometimes it feels weird to “reach out” to old clients. But you can still get more work from past contacts than from cold outreach now. Try it, even if it feels a bit uncomfortable at first.

Partner with Locals (and Why It Still Works)

You might think this is old-fashioned, but teaming up with local businesses still works really well, especially for service businesses.

For a few examples, think about gyms partnering with health food cafés, wedding planners pairing up with photographers, you get the idea, right?

Flyers in each other’s shops, Instagram collabs, or just sharing promo codes.

One of my friends, a photographer who literally started from zero, teamed up with a local wedding DJ.

Whenever the DJ booked an event, he’d recommend him, and my friend did the same in return. It cost nothing, and they both got more clients while offering couples a more complete package.

And it doesn’t stop there. A florist partnered with the same photographer later on, creating a little circle of referrals where they were all recommending each other’s work.

That’s the power of local networking; one good connection often leads to another.

Use Social Media Where It Works

Pick one or two platforms where your ideal clients actually hang out. For me, Pinterest is gold, but I’m trying X and now Threads too.

For you, it might be Instagram or LinkedIn.

Post tips, behind-the-scenes, and even quick wins. Use stories for day-to-day stuff, and posts for “portfolio” content.

And don’t forget about making short videos. They’re really good for grabbing people’s attention, especially now when people don’t focus on things for very long.

Tools like VEED make it easy with AI-powered editing features and custom avatars, while Klap can automatically turn your long-form content into multiple short clips for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts with just one click.

This is much easier now, but you don’t need to post everywhere, every day at first. Pick a couple and stay consistent. It’s much less stressful.

Blog to Attract Search and AI Traffic

Tutorials, checklists, and “how-to” guides are magnets for both Google and AI tools.

And if you don’t have a blog yet, think about starting one, it’s one of the easiest ways to get noticed without paying for ads, but yes, it needs some serious work.

After publishing on your blog, you can even summarize the key takeaways and post them on social media like X, Threads, or Medium, mentioning your business or brand name.

It gets you in front of a new audience, and AI scrapes Medium, too.

It’s not about being perfect; just help someone solve a problem, and show why your product or service is the best solution for it.

Deliver Incredible Customer Service

This is free marketing.

After a good project, you can ask clients: “Hey, if you liked working with me, would you mind sharing a short review?” Most people say yes if you ask nicely. Some will even write a whole paragraph if you give them a template.

In my experience, adding a simple chatbot to your website can be a huge advantage for small businesses.

Tools like HubSpot’s free chatbot builder make this easy, even if you’re not good with tech.

When visitors have questions, the chatbot answers right away, so you won’t lose potential clients who don’t want to wait for an email reply. It simply improves your customer service.

More than that, HubSpot’s CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system saves these chats and sorts them as potential clients in your database.

This means you can follow up later, remember what they asked about, and turn website visitors into paying customers without doing extra work.

Great service = more word-of-mouth. Not overnight, but over time.

Show Reviews Creatively

Text reviews are good, but screenshots of messages or short videos feel more real.

You can simply use your Google My Business profile, Instagram, TikTok, or add a “What Clients Say” section on your website.

If you’re shy about asking, start with people you know. Or just screenshot a nice DM (with permission).

Email Marketing Isn’t Dead

This one gets ignored because if you think it’s outdated or maybe expensive at first, but your email list is the only audience you “own.”

Even on this website you’re reading right now, I send a newsletter every Thursday. Sometimes it’s a tip, sometimes a personal story, sometimes a new offer.

I use Kit.com for this, which is more creator-focused, but for businesses, Constant Contact works better.

You can get started with giving something for free, like an ebook, a checklist, or a guide, and create a funnel, which are just a simple set of emails sent one after another, that can help get new leads interested in what you offer.

Try Smart Paid Ads

You do not need to spend tons of money.

Try options like Google Local Services Ads for local searches, Facebook forms that collect customer info, or Pinterest Idea ads.

Start small with just $5 to $20 to see what works best for you, and then put more money only into the methods that actually bring in customers.

Not only that, but things are easier now. You can use the tools AdCreative.ai to quickly make ad visuals and headlines. It literally takes a big weight off your head.

Flyers, Postcards, and Print, Still Useful?

Why not? Coffee shops, local events, and bulletin boards still work if you use them well. Canva makes it easy to design nice-looking flyers, and you can print them at home if you have a printer.

If you can get creative, this old-school method can be a technique that catches people’s eye for you, because many businesses these days only focus on online marketing.

To take this further, adding QR codes to your prints also helps people find you online quickly.

Track What Works and Do More of It

This is the part most small business owners avoid. Try everything and hope something will work.

Don’t forget about tracking. You can use Google Analytics for tracking website traffic, Notion to keep notes on what brought each client in, and Google Forms for quick surveys.

Google offers many free tools for marketing your business, so definitely check them out and see how they can help you get more clients for your small business.

And when it comes to tracking, every month, check where new clients came from, what emails got the most replies, and which posts got shared.

If something works, do more of it.

If not, drop it, no guilt.

Final Thoughts

Getting clients isn’t about trying to do “everything” but instead doing a few things really well, over and over. It’s about building trust, showing up, and not disappearing when things get tough.

Don’t chase the magic hack. Pick three methods, try them for a month, and look at the results. Change what isn’t working, and keep going.

Take this guide as a starting point for your small business; there’s always more to learn.

But if you keep trying, keep asking what’s working, and stay honest with yourself, you’ll get there.