can you find clients without social media?
episode 1 of "breaking up with the algorithm."
Hello love,
A few weeks ago, I wrote about quitting social media and what had happened in my life and business since. The responses were abundant, and the message is clear: many of you feel drained by the constant noise and the ever-growing demands of the algorithm gods.
Whether you’ve never enjoyed social media in the first place or you used to love it until you didn’t, you’re now being called to do things differently. You aspire to a business you can run without being activated every few seconds with yet another notification, and you don’t want to reach the end of your life knowing that you’d have spent more than 6 years* “building a community” that isn’t even yours.
*In an interview, Alexandra Franzen said she estimated that if she had continued using social media, she would have spent about 6 years of her life just on Twitter. I believe it: a recent study has shown that the average social media user consumes about 100 minutes of video content per day, and that doesn’t even include the amount of time spent creating content for these platforms.
You’re tired of it and you’ve been meaning to quit a dozen times, but you find yourself wondering: How you are ever going to find clients without social media?
That is 100% valid.
In this article, I’ll show you that not only is it possible to run your business and find clients without traditional social media, it’s actually an even better way to create lasting connections and repeated conversions.
Introducing: the myth of social media necessity
Everywhere you look, marketing advice tells you that if you’re not posting daily, if you’re not interacting several times a day with influencer accounts and their followers, if you’re not making videos, then you’re irrelevant.
Social media has become so central to our lives, especially since the pandemic, that it seems to be the only place where everyone is hanging out.
Facebook has 2.8 million monthly users, Instagram, 2 billion and X attracts 238 millions users daily. (2024 statistics).
And let’s not forget TikTok with 1,95 billion users globally.
So, of course, social media seems like a sea full of fish where you’d want to park your boat and expect abundance. But has it really felt this way?
Because here’s the problem. you can’t park your boat there. You have to borrow one. If you want better result, you should even rent one for a small fee against a little blue verified star that seems to attract more fish. They trust you more.
Another problem: the sea is full of boats, making near impossible to grab attention for more than a few seconds. The more time people spend there, the less attention they have.
Also, when people come to social media, it’s because they want to be entertained. They’re not actively looking for solutions to their problems. But still, you try. You entertain them. And then you’re surprised that you’ve had to become a stage performer in order to attract clients, when your actual job has nothing to do with dancing and telling jokes.
Eventually, you catch some fish, and you’re now working in your business. Amazing! But unless you have a marketing team doing the entertainment for you, you won’t have time to keep up. Your views will drop, and when your current fish are fried, what’s next?
You’ll likely open your apps, panic and start chasing the algorithm again. The cycle repeats: feast and famine.
Meanwhile, most purchases online aren’t even made through social media.
They actually happen through Email Marketing which drives the highest ROI in online sales (find the mind-blowing statistics here) and through Google Search (SEO) where people actively research their problems looking for solutions.
So the question is, do you actually need social media to succeed in business, or is there another, more sustainable way to connect with clients?
Is there another way to connect with potential clients?
Short answer: Yes.
Just think of all the businesses that have been thriving long before Instagram or TikTok even existed.
And I know, I know…Times have changed and they will keep on changing. But not everything changes.
Here are two simple truths:
If you don’t enjoy an activity that you have to do every single day, you’re not leading a happy life.
If you’re choosing to do something that goes against your ethics, and you know it’s harming you or others…. you’re feeding the problem.
I’m not here to throw the first stone. I spent years on social media before dropping out. I’m here to tell you that it’s not crazy that you want to leave. What’s crazy is to stay when you actually want to leave.
There is another way.
One that benefits your business more.
One that supports your mental health.
One that creates better relationships and deeper impact.
And it might even inspire others to try something different.
The alternative - what works instead of social media
When I decided to get back into business in October 2024, I knew I didn’t want to use social media.
I had tried a bit of LinkedIn over the summer back when I believed I wanted a real job - that didn’t last long. Both LinkedIn and the job search made me feel like I had to be a tiny white-and-blue square that didn’t fit me. I’m a big fuchsia blob and I morph according to my interests.
I recognised that I was, once again, driven by fear. The fear that social media was the only way to find clients.
Then I remembered social media is just a tool. And if it isn’t helpful, then it isn’t useful.
Remove the app from phone. Are you sure? Yes!
Now what?
Now we talk to people.
We build real relationships.
We create sustainable authority and visibility.
5 proven marketing strategies that don’t rely on social media
Email marketing. 4.5 billion people have an email address, and they check it 10 times per day + your emails don’t disappear after a few hours.
Blogging & SEO. Literally the most sustainable way to invest your time into marketing: everything you create keeps bringing new eyes on your business as long as it exists.
Guest features & Collaborations. Cross-promotion with aligned brands & entrepreneurs create bigger opportunities for everyone involved.
Partnerships, referrals and word-of-mouth. There are so many people in your target audience with a variety of needs, and you can’t answer all of them. Build trust and create a mutual support network for a beautiful virtuous circle.
Networking and speaking engagement. Participate and engage in person or online events, even slightly outside of your niche. Nothing beats real connections.
You get to choose how you show up
I know you’re scared of quitting social media and it’s completely normal. You don’t need to ditch it by tomorrow. In fact, before you decide anything, you need to have an exit plan so you can transition smoothly
What I really want you to know today is that you get to choose how you show up. You won’t suddenly disappear because you’re not on Instagram or Twitter or LinkedIn.
It’s actually the opposite: once you free yourself from this constant drain of energy, you find more alignment, more ease, more space, and more creativity to invest in sustainable marketing strategies for your business.
Ones that last.
For today, just ask yourself: if I hadn’t invested so much on social media already, would I still choose to be there today?
What’s next?
Next in this series: How to transition off social media, step by step. Subscribe so you don’t miss it ;)
Want my help building an aligned & sustainable marketing strategy ?
Let’s chat! I offer 1:1 inPower hour strategy sessions and done-for-you copywriting to help you create a joyful business you love, without social media burnout. Inquire in my direct messages or send me an email.
Visibility for highly sensitive entrepreneurs & introverts
If you’re a sensitive entrepreneur or an introvert, traditional visibility strategies can feel draining and intimidating.
But you don’t have to force yourself into methods that don’t align with you.
To help, I’ve created a free checklist: “Visibility for Sensitive Entrepreneurs & Introverts” : a simple, practical list of ways to grow your business without social media or burnout. Grab it here
