The Santa Barbara Web Design and Marketing Blog

In the world of marketing, there’s a quote that has stood the test of time—one that ignites fresh thinking, especially for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and anyone building a client base from scratch. The illustrious Dan Kennedy, a true icon and thought leader in marketing, once said: "There’s not one way to get 72 customers, but there are 72 ways to get one customer."

Even now, this simple yet profound idea feels revolutionary. Whether you’re just starting out or rethinking your approach, Kennedy’s wisdom is a call to creativity and action. Too often, businesses fall into the trap of searching for the “one perfect way” to drum up business. But the reality is, success rarely emerges from a single tactic. Rather, it thrives when we embrace the multitude of opportunities available—and when we consciously design systems that attract, engage, and serve our ideal customers.

Let’s dig deeper into why this concept matters, how it reframes your approach to marketing, and what you can do, starting today, to consistently connect with your best customers.

Understanding Dan Kennedy’s Genius: 72 Ways to Get ONE Customer

Dan Kennedy’s statement gets to the heart of real-world marketing: there isn’t a single, magical method to bring in customers. Instead, there are myriad pathways, each capable of producing results under the right circumstances. Some methods will become your bread and butter; others will introduce you to new segments or dramatically expand your reach.

This philosophy isn’t just motivational talk—it’s rooted in practical experience. Kennedy, after all, once shared the stage (and sold to packed rooms) alongside Zig Ziglar, one of the greatest motivators and salesmen of the modern era. Their combined insights helped generate millions in sales, yet neither became successful overnight or by relying on just one way of doing things.

This shift in mindset is especially valuable for business builders, freelancers, and consultants navigating uncertain waters. If you’re still searching for that first client, fighting to establish a consistent pipeline, or reinventing your approach, Kennedy’s advice is your permission slip to experiment, diversify, and iterate—without shame or hesitation.

Why Searching for the “Silver Bullet” Hurts Your Business

Many entrepreneurs get stuck seeking the 'silver bullet': a mythical marketing method that draws customers at will, every time. Maybe it’s the latest social media hack, a cold-email script, or an expensive online ad campaign. When one approach doesn’t deliver instant results, frustration quickly follows, often accompanied by discouragement, wasted resources, and inaction.

But businesses aren’t built on one-size-fits-all tactics. Markets shift, audiences evolve, and what worked for one business (or at one time) might flop for you. Leaning on only one way to generate clients and cashflow means living at the mercy of trends, algorithms, or chance.

The beauty of the “72 ways” approach is that it empowers you to see every possibility, not just the obvious or trendy ones. It asks: Where can you meet your potential customers? What unique value can you offer? Which untapped channels might surprise you with their results?

Create Your Opportunity Inventory

If you’re in those early days—maybe with no customers yet, or just a sporadic trickle—the first step is to build what I call your Opportunity Inventory. This is an exhaustive list of:

- Everywhere you can find customers

- Everything you know how to do

- Everyone you know (and who they know)

- Every method, tool, or tactic that’s ever brought a customer your way (or could)

Here are some places to look as you brainstorm your list:

1. Your Personal & Professional Networks

Think friends, family, former colleagues, organizations, mentors, alumni groups. Who do you know that might need your service, or know someone who does?

2. Community Events & Local Meetups

From Chamber of Commerce gatherings to industry seminars and hobbyist groups—many business relationships start with a handshake.

3. Social Media Platforms

Don’t just think about paid ads. Where do your likely customers spend time? Are they on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter? Could you offer value in a Facebook group, answer questions on Reddit, or participate in a LinkedIn conversation?

4. Your Website & Search Engines

Is your site discoverable? Do you have content (blog posts, guides, videos) that educate or entertain your target customers? Is your Google Business Profile up-to-date?

5. Email & Direct Messaging

Have you crafted a thoughtful introduction or offer you can send to contacts or leads? Email isn’t dead—it’s still one of the highest-ROI channels for many industries.

6. Collaborations, Partnerships & Referrals

Is there a business offering something related—but not competing—that could introduce you to their clients? Could you refer business to each other?

7. Content Marketing & Thought Leadership

Have you considered starting a newsletter, writing articles, sharing how-tos on YouTube, or guest-blogging for other sites? What about hosting a podcast or being featured on someone else’s?

Try to list 72 possibilities. The goal isn’t to execute on all of them at once (overwhelm kills action!), but to open your eyes to the choices in front of you—many closer or more accessible than you think.

The Importance of Attraction Versus Chasing

One striking lesson in Kennedy’s thinking is the distinction between attracting business versus chasing it.

- Chasing leads to burnout. You’re always behind, never able to focus on delivery or improvement, just hustling for the next sale.

- Attraction brings customers to your door. When you attract, inquiries pop into your inbox while you’re working, sleeping, or delivering value.

There are practical reasons for prioritizing attraction:

1. Scalable Growth

When your systems are set up to attract customers—via content marketing, networking, SEO, or referrals—you’re free to work on the business, not just in it, improving your offer, delivery, and overall strategy.

2. Higher-Quality Customers

Attracted prospects are often better informed and more engaged; they’re coming to you because something about your presence, expertise, or message resonated.

3. Sustainable Momentum

When you’re not reliant on high-touch, high-effort sales activities at every turn, you can maintain energy, focus, and passion for your core work.

How can you shift from chasing to attracting? Let’s talk systems.

Designing a Customer Attraction System

A customer attraction system is more than just a sales funnel. It's a repeatable process, tailored to your brand and goals, with multiple touchpoints designed to inform, build trust, and encourage inquiry.

Start by asking:

1. What do my best customers need or desire most?

2. Where do they look for solutions?

3. How do they prefer to learn, engage, and buy?

4. What can I offer (content, tools, conversations) to earn their attention and trust?

Now, consider these building blocks for your system:

- Website or Landing Page: A clear, helpful home base that welcomes and educates first-time visitors.

- Lead Magnet: A free resource, consultation, or mini-course that solves a pressing problem and invites sign-ups.

- Follow-Up Sequence: Automated emails or messages that deepen the relationship, deliver value, and invite action.

- Content Strategy: Regular tips, stories, or insights that position you as a go-to expert and friend in your field.

- Social Proof: Reviews, testimonials, and case studies that prove your results.

- Referral Program: Ways to reward or recognize clients and partners who send prospects your way.

The right mix depends on your business, but every step should reinforce the core idea: drawing people in with relevance, empathy, and expertise—not cold pitches and desperation.

Experimentation Is Your Best Friend

Here’s some truth: no one, not even Dan Kennedy, knows ahead of time which of the “72 ways” will be most productive. That’s why a spirit of curiosity and experimentation is so vital for early-stage and growth-phase businesses.

Here’s how to experiment intelligently:

1. Start with 3-5 Methods: Choose options that match your skills, budget, and where your audience hangs out.

2. Set Measurable Goals: For instance, “I’ll attend three local networking events this month and aim to set five coffee meetings,” or, “I’ll publish weekly LinkedIn posts for two months and monitor new followers and direct inquiries.”

3. Track Results: Jot down leads, conversations, closed deals, and lessons learned from each source.

4. Double Down on What Works: When you find a winner, invest more time or resources, and see if you can automate or delegate pieces of it.

5. Rotate in New Experiments: Continually add new channels or tactics from your list—it keeps things fresh.

Shake off the idea that you need everything perfect up front. The real secret is forward momentum and being open to surprises.

Building Momentum: Steady Actions, Steady Clients

Once you begin thinking in terms of many ways to get just one customer, everything shifts. You give yourself permission to try, tweak, and pivot—without beating yourself up when something flops.

Momentum comes from action:

- Collect stories from every customer, however you found them.

- Celebrate each win, no matter how small.

- Refine your approach based on feedback and actual results.

Over time, the channels that started with ones and twos will begin to stack and intersect. Referrals, inbound inquiries, and repeat business often steal the show because your reputation compounds. What felt scattered slowly forms into a system—one that works for you (not the other way around).

Balancing Sales and Delivery: Working ON Your Business

A final lesson from Kennedy’s “72 ways” wisdom: You can’t just focus on the hunt, or you'll never build the systems that make sales and growth easier.

Working on your business means:

- Investing time to build content that works for you while you sleep.

- Automating or outsourcing repetitive tasks.

- Creating documented processes, so you can eventually bring on help.

- Developing packages or products, so you aren’t starting from scratch with every new customer.

Your system, over time, should help you shift more and more hours toward making your product, service, or solution even better—because THAT’s what truly scales and sustains your business.

Let’s Review: Your Next Steps

Dan Kennedy’s quote—“There’s not one way to get 72 customers, but there are 72 ways to get one customer”—is an evergreen reminder for every business builder. When you embrace the 72 ways, you open yourself to possibility, learning, and the kind of creative action that brings real results.

- Step One: Jot down your Opportunity Inventory. Push yourself to come up with as many ways to get one customer as you can, ideally 50, but strive for 72.

- Step Two: Choose 3-5 to focus on right now. Align them with your strengths and where your customers already are.

- Step Three: Act, track, and reflect. Keep what works, ditch what doesn’t, and never stop learning.

- Step Four: Shift from chasing to attracting, designing repeatable systems that compound your results.

- Step Five: Use your increased bandwidth to improve your offers, support your clients, and build the business you’ve envisioned.

Remember: No single tactic will make or break you, but your willingness to keep going, experimenting, and building systems WILL. Each new customer is proof that you only needed one way today…and tomorrow, you’ll find another.

Stay relentless, stay curious, and start stacking your 72 ways. The business you’re building—and the freedom you seek—will follow.