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How to Acquire Your First AI Automation Client For $0.00

From JOHNWICK

Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

Let’s cut through the noise: most AI automation agencies fail because they’re stuck in 2019 playbook. Paid ads? Oversaturated. Content marketing? Takes years. Referrals? You need clients to get clients. The secret sauce? Hyper-personalized outbound that feels like inbound. I’ve watched 23-year-olds in my community close $5k deals by sending 15 Loom videos daily. No fancy CRMs. No ad spend. Just raw, surgical outreach.

Here’s the kicker: decision-makers are drowning in AI pitches. Your generic “I can automate your workflows” email gets trashed. But a 2-minute video where you dissect their website’s lead capture form? That’s a foot in the door.

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The $0 Tool Stack: Apollo, Apify, and Loom Demystified

1. Apify: This under-the-radar scraper gives you $5 free credits — enough to extract 4,000 leads. Pair it with Apollo free tier for contact data.

2. Apollo: The LinkedIn of B2B databases. Use their “Recruitment Agency” filter (or your niche) to build lists. Pro tip: Export URLs to Apify to bypass Apollo paywalls.

3. Loom: The Trojan horse of outreach. Record videos staring at their LinkedIn profile. Free plan = 25 videos/month. Delete old ones to stay under the limit.

4. Google Sheets: Your makeshift CRM. Track responses, Loom links, and follow-ups here. 5. Streak for Gmail (Bonus): Free email tracking to see who opens your pitches.


Step 1: Scraping High-Intent Leads (Without Getting Blocked) Most beginners scrape the wrong leads. You want micro-businesses (5–20 employees) in niches drowning in repetitive tasks:

  • Recruitment agencies
  • Local HVAC companies
  • E-commerce fulfillment centers

Apollo Hack:

  • Search “Founder” + “Recruitment Agency” (or your niche).
  • Filter for U.S.-based companies with websites.
  • Copy the search URL and paste into Apify “Apollo Scraper.”

Critical: Test 10 profiles manually. If 8+ fit your ideal client profile (ICP), proceed. If not, tweak filters. Red Flag Alert: Apollo may throttle you. Use Apify “no timeout” option and scrape in 500-lead batches.


Step 2: Crafting Irresistible Custom Loom Videos Your video script must answer: “Why should I care in 8 seconds?” Template:

  • Hook: “Hey [Name], I just hacked your competitor’s onboarding process. 2-minute video showing how to save 12 hrs/week?”
  • Social Proof: “I helped [Similar Business] cut costs by 37% last month.”
  • CTA: “Reply ‘AUTOMATE’ and I’ll build your first workflow free.”

Technical Setup:

  • Record your screen + face via Loom.
  • First 10 seconds: Scroll through THEIR LinkedIn profile.
  • Next 30 seconds: Screen share a ClickUp/automation demo.
  • End with a clear next step (“Book a call” link in description).

Pro Tip: Name the Loom video “[Their Company] Workflow Audit” to boost opens.


Step 3: The Double-Tap Outreach Strategy (Email + LinkedIn) Email Template: 

Subject: [Name], I’m working with [Competitor] - Quick question?  

Body:  
Hey [First Name],  

I’m helping [Competitor] automate their [specific process] and noticed you’re doing [unique thing from their LinkedIn].  

Recorded a 2-min video showing how they saved $3k/month: [Loom Link]  

If it’s relevant, I’d love to build you a free automation this week.  

Best,  
[Your Name]

LinkedIn DM Script: “Hey [Name] — Left you a video re: [Their Industry] automation. Let me know if you want the $0 trial!” Timing: Send the email first. If no reply in 48 hours, hit them on LinkedIn.


Daily Action Plan: 45 Minutes to Your First Paying Client

  • 9:00 AM: Scrape 15 new leads using Apify/Apollo.
  • 9:15 AM: Record 15 Loom videos (2 mins each).
  • 10:00 AM: Send emails + LinkedIn DMs.
  • 10:15 AM: Follow up with yesterday’s non-responders.

Key Metric: 5% response rate = 1–2 sales calls daily. Close 1/3 to hit $3k/month.


Scaling Secrets: Turning Free Work into $3,500/Month Retainers Never do free work without an upsell path:

  • Free: Fix their lead capture form (1 hour).
  • $997: Automate their CRM onboarding.
  • $3,500/mo: Full-process management + weekly analytics.

5 More Automations You Can Sell Today for $1,500 (Or $10,000) Discover 5 automation systems that generated $72k/month for one agency. mitaboost.medium.com



Pitfalls to Avoid: Why 93% of New Agencies Crash and Burn

  • Pitfall 1: Targeting enterprises first (they take 6+ months to close).
  • Pitfall 2: Using stock automation templates (customization is key).
  • Pitfall 3: Not tracking video open rates (Loom’s analytics are free!).

Redemption Arc: Focus on businesses with 5–20 employees. They’re desperate for help but ignored by big agencies.


FAQs:

  • “We already have automation” → “Mind if I audit it for free? 89% of tools are underutilized.”
  • “We don’t have the budget” → “What if I cover the first month? You pay only if saves 10+ hours.”
  • “Send a proposal” → “I’ll build a 1-page ROI calculator first. Proposals come after.”


Final Takeaways: Building Momentum in a Saturated Market

The game isn’t about being cheaper — it’s about being unignorably specific. Niching down isn’t optional. Your homework:

  • Scrape 50 recruitment agencies tonight.
  • Send 15 Loom videos by noon tomorrow.
  • Pitch the free trial to every responder.

The first client is the hardest. The next 10? They’ll come begging once you’ve social-proofed your results.

Read the full article here: https://mitaboost.medium.com/how-to-acquire-your-first-ai-automation-client-for-0-00-32f74c29db6d

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