You know what no one tells you about scaling to multiple six figures? I did it with 400 Instagram followers and a hundred people on my email list. When I hit $1.2 million in one year, I had 4,000 followers on Instagram. Not 40,000. Not 400,000. Just 4,000. My email list was about 8,000 at the time, and we didn’t even have a website.
If you’ve been spinning your wheels trying to grow your Instagram following because you think that’s what’s gonna get you clients, this is about to set you free from the content hamster wheel. Here’s the truth that the online business world doesn’t want you to hear: You don’t need a huge audience to build a thriving business. You need the right relationships with the right people.
The Big Lie About Audience Size and Revenue
Let’s get real for a minute. The entire social media world wants you to believe that you need thousands of followers to be successful, sometimes hundreds of thousands. They want you chasing vanity metrics, obsessing over engagement, posting constantly to feed the algorithm. You get in your head asking, “Am I even posting the right content?” And it keeps you stuck on a content hamster wheel that you sure as heck did not sign up for.
You’re creating and creating and creating, hoping this post will be the one that goes viral and brings you all the clients.
But here’s what no one’s saying: Your ideal clients aren’t scrolling Instagram for the account with the most followers. They’re not on LinkedIn looking at who has the most viral post. They’re not on TikTok waiting to find who their next hire is. And they sure as heck aren’t in your email list because that email list is probably full of a bunch of DIYers, not people looking to outsource.
Your ideal client is looking for the right person to solve their specific problem.
The Influencer Model Doesn’t Work for Service Providers
There’s a massive difference between being an influencer and being someone of authority in your niche that provides a service. Influencers need big audiences because it’s literally their business model. The more eyeballs, the more brand deals, the more money. Course creators and coaches need more eyeballs because they’re working with 1-3% conversion rates.
But you, the service provider? You’re not trying to be famous. You don’t need hundreds of thousands of people to buy your product. You have 40-50% conversion rates on discovery calls. You don’t need thousands of people. You need a few of the right people.
You’re not trying to go viral. You’re trying to be the person for a specific problem, and that requires a completely different strategy.
Real Examples: Big Revenue, Small Audiences
Let me give you some examples that’ll blow your mind.
I know a copywriter that you’ve never heard of. They book massive projects and hit $50K months consistently, and they have 800 followers on Instagram. They don’t need a bunch. They need the right people, and they know their people aren’t on Instagram. None of their social channels have a lot of followers because they know their social channels don’t matter as service providers.
Another one of our Strategist Society members stays completely booked out. I’m talking about booked out, no breathing room. She charges premium prices, and one of her clients alone is $14,000 a month, y’all. She has 384 followers on Instagram.
When I hit my first million-dollar year, I had 4,000 Instagram followers and an email list of 10,000. Not 40,000. Not 100,000. A $1.2 million business with 4,000 Instagram followers.
The most successful people in Strategist Society do not have big followings. Less than a thousand for the majority of them. And they’re booked out, having multiple six-figure years. It’s because they know that the number of people you have on social media does not dictate how much money you make.
The Two Places Premium Clients Actually Are
So what do you do if it’s not about posting on Instagram? If it’s not about growing a bunch of followers and you don’t need an email list, where the heck do you look for clients?
Here’s the thing: how you look for clients when you’re first getting started, landing your first, second, third client, is not where you continue to look for clients to break through to $15K, $20K, $30K, $40K months. The strategy has to change because, by now, your pricing is at a much higher premium.
Higher premium clients aren’t in free Facebook groups looking for help. They’re about building relationships. So how do we build relationships with people, and how do we get in front of those champagne clients?
I’m a big fan of two big places, and this is really how I grew my business once I started charging premium prices. This is still how I land premium clients.
1. Getting on Podcasts
Podcasts are huge because as soon as you’re on a podcast, people are like, “Holy bananas, you are famous.” And you’re like, “What? I was on one podcast.” It doesn’t matter. It’s an instant authority driver.
Also, you’re getting about 45 minutes to network with the podcast host, and chances are, they’re connected to multiple people. One of the things I found out after being on 50 podcasts in one year is that when you spend that time with the podcast host, you may not land any clients from the actual podcast, but the host will want to hire you. I landed so many of my biggest clients just by being interviewed by the host. They heard my expertise and wanted to hire me.
Some of you may be here because you heard me on a podcast. Podcasts are a great platform where people are highly engaged. You are getting their attention where you wouldn’t normally have their attention. Think about a seven-second reel on Instagram versus a 30-45 minute interview on a podcast. Which one do you think you can show up more as the expert on? Seven seconds or 45 minutes?
Not all podcasts are created equal, though. Go after smaller podcasts where your champagne clients are. Don’t worry about going on huge podcasts. Worry about going on podcasts where your specific clients are.
Also, find other people who also have podcasts who have your ideal client, and just do a podcast swap. You come on mine, I come on yours. It’s a really easy way to be consistent with showing up on podcasts.
Want to know how to get booked on podcasts? DM me the word PODCAST on Instagram @brandimowles, and I’ll send you my podcast pitch template that has gotten me on over a hundred different shows.
2. Strategic Partnerships and Communities
The second place is through strategic communities and building real partnerships. When I say strategic communities, I’m not talking about networking groups full of service providers. I’m talking about where your champagne clients are hanging out.
Think about it differently. Where are your clients spending time? What masterminds are they in? What paid communities are they part of? What events are they attending? What networking groups do they belong to? This is where you need to be, not in free Facebook groups with other service providers complaining about not having enough clients.
Here are some real examples:
One of my clients does podcasts for people in the financial planning space. She got into masterminds for certified financial planners and became the go-to podcast person in that space. That’s strategic positioning.
I have a client who’s known in the business coaching world. When someone needs a web designer, they know to go to her.
Mandy is a consultant and tech strategist who is very strategic about two main Facebook groups. They’re paid Facebook groups that people have paid for a subscription to, and she’s the expert there. People go and hire her because she shows up, answers high-level questions, and has become known.
I know copywriters with the smallest followings ever who get hired to work for Outback and some of the biggest companies. It’s not about having a big email list. It’s about having the right people, the right messaging, and the right relationships.
These people aren’t trying to be everywhere. They’re being strategic about where they show up, and they’re going deep in those places.
Here’s what the stats show: Referral marketing generates 3-5 times higher conversion rates than any other channel. People are four times more likely to buy when referred by a friend. So you can spend all your time creating content for strangers, or you can invest in relationships with people who actually refer you.
Depth beats surface level every single time. Relationships overreach, y’all.
8 Strategic Steps to Build Authority Without a Massive Following
What are the actual tactical steps to build authority without a huge audience? Let me break it down for you.
1. Become Known for One Thing
Not “I do everything for everyone.” One specific transformation for one specific type of client. This makes you referable and memorable. If you’re offering all the services, no one’s gonna remember what you do. But if you are the ads person, they will remember. If you are the growth marketing consultant, they will remember. If you are the podcast strategist, they will remember.
You have to become known for one thing.
2. Create a Signature Framework or Process
This gives you language differentiators and something unique to talk about. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be yours.
3. Publish Thought Leadership Content
Even with a small audience, write a blog post, post on Instagram, start a podcast, publish on LinkedIn. Show your thinking, your expertise, and your perspective. This isn’t about volume. It’s about depth and consistency.
One of the things with this is you have to get really good at your messaging, which is why we created the From Chasing to Chosen Workshop, where we actually give you the ChatGPTs to really get your messaging for your champagne client.
This is what most people get wrong. They publish thought leadership content, but they’re talking to beginners instead of champagne clients.
4. Get Featured or Interviewed on Other People’s Platforms
Podcasts, collaborations, mastermind speaking, speaking at public events, speaking at Chamber of Commerce. This is where I got most of my biggest clients.
Being a guest on podcasts put me in front of an audience that already trusted the host. That trust transferred to me, and those listeners became clients. And more importantly, the podcast hosts did too.
5. Leverage Client Results Publicly
Case studies, testimonials, before and afters. Make your results visible and specific.
6. Build Strategic Referral Partnerships
Five strong referral partnerships are worth more than 5,000 followers. Find people who serve the same audience but offer different services and refer each other.
7. Show Your Work and Your Process
Don’t just show the end result. Show how you think, how you approach problems, what makes you different.
I was talking to a student the other day and she said, “I don’t know what to post. People are telling me people want to see your life, so in stories I should show that I’m working during nap time.” And I was like, “Clients don’t care if you work at home with your kids. At the end of the day, they don’t care if you’re gonna show up on Instagram stories.”
Stop taking advice from coaches, course creators, and influencers. What you need to be showing is your process. “Okay, it’s Friday, I’m doing reports. Here are five things I always cover in my ad reports for my clients.” Show your work in progress, not just behind-the-scenes final things or what you’re doing with your family.
At the end of the day, your clients care about results. They don’t care about what you do in your free time. That’s very different than being an aspirational coach or influencer.
8. Engage Meaningfully
Thoughtful comments on other people’s content are worth more than vanity metrics on your own. Build real relationships and stop worrying about your follower count.
Notice what’s not on this list: posting three times a day, going viral, having 10,000 followers, content content content. And I sure as heck didn’t say be on a whole bunch of platforms. Actually, the first thing I said was become known for one thing, and earlier I told you, pick one platform.
Posting, going viral, being on all the platforms? None of that is required to build authority or attract premium clients.
The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
Here’s the mindset shift that changes everything, my friend.
Most people think marketing equals broadcasting to the masses. More and more and more shouting into the void, hoping someone hears you.
But for service providers, marketing is actually about building deep relationships with the right people.
Here’s why that matters: every client is worth $3K, $5K, $10K, $20K or more to you. Think about lifetime value, not just monthly value. You don’t need hundreds of them. You need 5, 10, maybe 15 clients a year. Or less if you’re raising your prices.
So if you need two or three clients a month, you don’t need 10,000 followers. You need $10,000 worth of trust with the right 50 to 100 people.
After working with over 3,000 service providers in the last seven years, here’s what I know: you can have a tiny audience and a thriving business. In fact, it’s often better because you can actually know your people. You can build real relationships. You can create referral loops that keep clients coming to you without you having to constantly create content.
Stop asking yourself, “How do I get more followers? How do I post more? I can’t keep up with my marketing.”
Start asking: “How do I build deeper relationships with the right people?”
That question will change your business entirely. Ask better questions, change the quality of your life.
Ready to Position Yourself as the Go-To Expert?
If you’ve been sitting here thinking, “Okay, Brandi, this makes so much sense, but I still don’t know how to position myself so I can actually become the go-to person in my space. I don’t know how to get in those rooms. I don’t know how to build authority without a massive platform. That’s exactly why we created the From Chasing to Chosen Workshop.
This is where I walk you through the exact framework for becoming the obvious choice in your industry without needing thousands of followers or a huge platform. We’re covering:
- How to position yourself for premium clients who seek you out
- How to get into the right rooms to build the right relationships
- How to create messaging and authority that makes people say, “I need to work with you.”
You can grab your spot by going to brandimowles.com/chasing.
This workshop is being held live, or you’ll be able to buy the on-demand training with all the ChatGPTs and resources so you can start implementing it ASAP in your business.
If you’ve been chasing follower counts instead of building real relationships, this is your chance to completely flip the script.
Because here’s what I know, my friend: You don’t need to be Instagram famous or an influencer to make big money. You don’t need 10,000 followers to attract premium clients. You need strategic positioning, the right relationships, and the confidence to show up as the expert you already are.
So stop waiting until you hit an arbitrary follower count. Stop thinking you need to be on every platform. Get strategic, build relationships, become the person for your industry, and go out and do the dang thing.
If you’re just starting out and need help building the foundation of your service business, head over to conversionsforclients.com for resources designed for early-stage service providers.
This post is based on an episode of the Serve Scale Soar podcast, where we help service providers scale to $20K-$30K months while working 25 hours a week or less. Ready to build your business the strategic way? Let’s make it happen.
Want More Like This? ⬇️
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** This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you use one of the links to purchase. This helps keep the podcast going and I only share products I have used, tested and love.”
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Meet Brandi
Brandi Mowles is the host of the Serve Scale Soar® podcast which is a podcast dedicated to helping service-based entrepreneurs scale their online business to five-figure months so they can soar into six-figure years. Brandi is a wife, mom and in less than one year, created a six-figure business. Now she is spilling all her secrets so you can too.
