A hundred paying customers is a target, not a result a guide can promise. Begin with ten real conversations and one identifiable purchasing problem. Then measure how many relevant visitors order and what each new customer costs, including your time. Reach, followers and conversations are intermediate steps, not customers.
Define what counts as a customer
Count unique new buyers with paid, non-cancelled orders. Track returns separately and assess contribution once known. Fictional funnel: one thousand relevant visits at a 2% purchase rate produce twenty orders, not one hundred. That 2% is a planning assumption, not a benchmark. At the same rate, five thousand visits would be needed; reality may differ considerably.
Week one: investigate the buying situation
Ask permission for a short conversation and begin with the last real purchase: what did the person need, compare and reject, and why? Then show your offer and ask what information is missing. Separate spontaneous answers from responses to your suggestions and retain only necessary data.
Week two: test two entry points
Choose two feasible routes, such as a demonstration for a relevant club and an informative product post. Give each a clear landing page and identifiable referral code. Set time and spending limits in advance. Repetition helps only when the message is relevant; posting more of the same does not prove progress.
Show what the customer receives
Use a genuine demonstration, dimensions and an honest delivery promise. Explain suitability for the intended use and limitations. Ask which objection remains after a conversation. Address it on the product page before trying to attract more traffic.
Week three: work with relevant partners
Approach a small selection of organisations with a specific proposal and clear exchange. Agree how discounts, payment or collaboration will be disclosed. Do not automatically add order email addresses to newsletters or send unsolicited bulk messages. Check applicable rules and channel requirements before using contact lists.
Calculate cost per paying customer
Fictional example: €120 materials/channel spending plus eight hours at €25 totals €320. Eight new buyers mean €40 acquisition cost per customer including labour. With €18 contribution before acquisition, the test is uneconomic on the first order. Do not assume repeat purchases to justify the loss; measure them first.
Week four: review quality and outcomes
Give each channel a row for visits, questions, buyers, returns and hours. If visits produce few product views, check the landing page and referral. If sizing questions recur, improve that information first. Change one element per trial and record which explanation the outcome supports and which remains open.
Set continuation and stopping rules
Before the next round, decide how much more money and time to commit and what must improve. Stop a route that reaches its limit without useful evidence. A hundred customers may take months or prove unattainable; stopping is a valid outcome. Read the advertising test plan when a paid trial fits your economics.
Sources and checks
Primary sources checked on 26 October 2026: Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens: tracking cookies; ACM: informatie vóór en na de koop.
