How to Get Clients Passively (Without Constant Hustling)

Constantly chasing down new clients isn’t sustainable. It’s draining, time-consuming, and, quite frankly, not the vibe for the freedom-loving entrepreneur you set out to be. 

The good news: learning how to get clients doesn’t have to mean living in your DMs, hopping on every “networking” Zoom, or offering a never-ending buffet of freebie calls. 

There’s a better way. 

Enter: Passive client attraction. 

We have five simple strategies that will help you passively draw in dreamy, ready-to-pay clients like a magnet. All while you’re working, sleeping, or binge-watching “Love is Blind”. 

Polish Your Online Presence

If your website or social media profiles are the digital version of a dusty bulletin board from 2017 … we need to talk. 

When someone stumbles across your brand, you’ve got justseconds to capture their attention and establish trust. Make sure your:

• Website has clear offers, social proof, and a super obvious way to book or buy now.

• Social bios explain what you do, who it’s for, and a link to your offer or opt-in.

• Templates, client workflows, and legal protections (like contracts and policies) are buttoned up and professional. 

Not sure what legal pages you need? We’ve got you covered in this blog post.

Create a Lead Magnet that’s Actually Worth Downloading 

Your freebie shouldn’t be just a “nice to have”. It’s a first impression and needs to deliver. Think: checklists, swipe files, scripts, or planners that solve one specific problem your ideal client is Googling right now. 

We firmly believe that overdelivering is key to showing your potential clients they can trust you. That’s why our No-Nonsense Checklist to Starting a Business is 24 pages full of a checklist that dives into how to complete each step of the checklist. Take a peek at what we mean by overdelivering by snagging it for yourself.

Then, once you’ve created it, put that freebieeverywhere:

• In your bio link

• On Pinterest

• As a pop-up on your site

• Mentioned in blog posts (just like you’ll see below 😉)

• Shared in Facebook groups or community forums

Once people opt in, continue nurturing them with an email sequence that builds trust, shows off your expertise, and invites them to work with you. 

Set Up an Evergreen Content Machine

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel every week. Just focus on strategic, long-term content that answers the exact questions your dream clients are typing into Google, YouTube, or Pinterest. 

Here’s how to use a content machine passively:

• Write blog posts optimized for the search terms your audience uses

• Create YouTube videos or podcast episodes that show your process or answer FAQs

• Turn long-form content into pins, carousel posts, and emails

Content lives forever, which means new people can find you and your offers months (or years!) after you hit publish. 

Automate Referrals and Testimonials

Happy clients are yourbestsalespeople, but most of them won’t rave about you unless you make it easy. 

Make it easy for them by setting up:

• A post-project email that asks for a review or sends them to a testimonial form.

• An affiliate program or referral incentive for past clients. 

• A swipe file or “Here’s what you can say if you want to recommend me” text (yes, literally hand them the words)

Bonus: Display your best reviews on your website, in your emails, and in social posts to build trust with lurkers who haven’t booked (yet).

Use Templates + Tools That Free Up Your Time

When you’re not bogged down with backend tasks (like writing proposals from scratch or chasing invoices), you can focus on creating killer content or building relationships.

Make sure you’ve got:

• A legal contract template that covers your booty (we’ve got one for every industry!)

• A CRM tool (like HoneyBook or Dubsado) that automates client onboarding 

• Pre-written emails for inquiries, follow-ups, and “Let’s work together” moments 

The more streamlined your systems are, the moreyoucan operate like the CEO you are instead of the stressed-out assistant wearing 12 hats.

TLDR — How to Get Clients the Smart Way

If you’ve been stuck in a feast-or-famine cycle, these strategies can help break that pattern and turn your business into a client-attracting machine that works even when you’re not. 

Remember, learning how to get clients doesn’t mean working harder. It means working smarter, putting the right pieces in place, and letting your digital presence do the heavy lifting. 

And if you need help making sure your business is set up to scale without stress?

Start with a legally legit foundation right here in our free No-Nonsense Checklist to Starting a Business.