Most Freelancers Don’t Have a Sales Problem (They Have a Skills Problem)

Last week, I posted a controversial video that got a lot of freelancers fired up:

I said: "Most of you guys don't have a sales problem. You have a skills problem."

The comments and DMs were… interesting. Some people got defensive. Others had lightbulb moments. But here’s what I noticed: the freelancers who disagreed were the same ones constantly complaining about lead generation, cold outreach, and that “the market is saturated”.

Meanwhile, the most successful freelancers I know barely do any business development.

They’re too busy servicing long-term clients they’ve had for 9 months, 12 months, even 2+ years. As a matter of fact, three out of my four clients I’ve had for more than two years. One of them since January 2019 (that’s going to be 7 years in January).

You can’t make this up.

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The Real Problem Most Freelancers Have

Here’s what I see constantly: Freelancers spending hours on LinkedIn trying to generate leads, buying courses on cold email, obsessing over their sales funnels.

But when I look at their actual work? It’s… fine. Not bad, but not great. They’re using strategies from 2022. They haven’t learned anything new in months.

The best freelancers I know don’t spend nearly as much time on business development. They spend their time getting really good at what they do.

While you’re crafting the perfect cold email, they’re learning the latest iOS changes that are affecting Facebook ads. While you’re optimizing your LinkedIn profile, they’re testing new creative strategies that their competitors haven’t discovered yet.

Guess who gets more referrals?

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The Most Underrated Freelance Marketing Strategy

You can’t spell “experts” without an X.

The most underrated freelance marketing strategy is learning from the experts on X (formerly Twitter). While everyone’s LinkedIn DMs are full of pitches, X is still relatively untapped for learning.

Here’s what I do: I follow the really smart people who spend way more money than I do on Facebook ads. People who have access to Meta reps, bigger budgets, and more resources than I’ll ever have.

These experts share their knowledge for free. New iOS updates, creative strategies, audience insights, campaign structures—it’s all there if you know where to look.

While I’m managing my campaigns, I’m also learning from people who are 10 steps ahead of me. This makes me better at my job, which makes my clients happier, which leads to more referrals.

If you want to see how this plays out in real life, check out 9 Marketers Who Successfully Transitioned to Full-Time Freelancing. Most of them didn’t “sell” their way to success—they got so good at their craft that clients came to them.

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Why This Actually Works

If you’re constantly learning and staying ahead of the curve, your clients start seeing you as the expert.

Instead of you chasing them, they start referring you to their network. “You need to talk to Alex—he always knows the latest strategies before anyone else.”

That’s how you build a business where clients come to you instead of you chasing them.

Want to build a network that sends you deals on autopilot? Read How to Build a Network That Consistently Sends Freelance Deals Your Way.

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The Skills vs Sales Framework

Here’s how to shift from sales-focused to skills-focused:

• Instead of spending 2 hours on LinkedIn outreach, spend 2 hours learning from experts in your field on X.
• Instead of buying another “how to get clients” course, subscribe to newsletters from the top performers in your niche.
• Instead of optimizing your cold email templates, test the latest strategies and document what works.

Also, if you want to see how your personality can get you more business, check out Screw "Average": Why Your Personality is Your Best Marketing Tool.

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The Old Freelancer Way vs. The Modern Freelancer Way

The old freelancer way:

• Spend hours on cold outreach and sales tactics
• Buy endless “how to get clients” courses
• Constantly chase new leads

The modern freelancer way:

• Invest time learning from industry experts
• Apply new strategies to deliver better results
• Let referrals and reputation bring clients to you

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Your Action Step This Week

Here’s your homework:

1. Go to X and search for your specialty (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Email Marketing, etc.)
2. Find 10 experts who regularly share insights and follow them
3. Turn on notifications for their posts
4. Spend 30 minutes daily reading and learning from their content
5. Apply one new thing you learn to your current client work

When you become genuinely better at what you do, clients will chase you.

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