I haven't closed anyone on a call. I'm not sure if it's because of my accent or people think I'm a scammer because I'm Indian. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do?
People will often make split‑second judgments based on your accent or where you’re from, assuming you’re a scammer. The first thing to do is understand that mindset – recognize that they’re coming from a place of bias, not personal malice. That’s only a small hurdle, maybe making your sales process 20 % harder at the start. Change your mindset to accept that it will be a bit tougher, then work on improving your sales skills. Read *Never Split the Difference* by Chris Voss, follow a step‑by‑step sales script, and practice the same structure on every call. By consistently applying these tactics you’ll increase credibility and close more calls despite the bias.
Cold calling can be tough when you have an accent, as prospects may associate it with offshore scams. Instead focus on cold email and Loom video outreach—text works the same regardless of who wrote it. Start with low‑priced wins to build case studies, then leverage the cost‑of‑living arbitrage to charge higher rates (e.g., three‑times what Indian companies charge). Offer clear value beyond low price, and once you have a few successes, you can raise prices and expand your services.
The creator acknowledges that the trust gap won’t disappear completely, but you can reduce it. One tactic is to position yourself from a higher‑reputation location—say you’re based in the UAE, Singapore, or another low‑scam‑risk country, or even set up a ghost office there. Improving your English to the point where your accent is indistinguishable from a native speaker also helps, as it removes a quick bias cue. Beyond that, consistently delivering high value upfront—such as offering a free workflow or audit during cold outreach—lets prospects see your competence before they have to pay, which lowers their guard. He notes that even with these steps, some skepticism will remain, but the people who value cost arbitrage will look past it if you prove you can deliver. He adds that landing a Western client can easily double your current $1‑$1.5k monthly revenue.
Yes, improving your American accent would help because people buy from those they like and who seem similar to them. However, using accent as an excuse to delay outreach is the real problem. The issue isn't the accent; it's avoiding action due to imperfect circumstances. Success comes from taking action despite flaws—just start selling, and you'll improve your accent and skills along the way. Waiting for perfect conditions will hold you back in business and life.
Absolutely. Businesses in the United States would be open to buying your services if you're somebody in England or really anywhere else in the British Commonwealth. You have a significantly higher probability of selling to an American audience than people not in the Commonwealth simply because you share a lot of cultural norms. Even minor aesthetic things like having a British accent will be seen as quite positive and cool by a lot of the people you pitch to. I bet British guys with cool accents are probably closing 5-10% more deals simply by virtue of the fact that they sound more sophisticated. When you sell in a market that is not your own, there are pros and cons. The first pro is you get to arbitrage costs and revenue — cost of living in Bangladesh is much lower than in America, so you can make 10x the money while paying the same cost of living, which is why everybody loves doing this. The downside is you're usually facing a cultural uphill battle — people often stereotype you based on where you're from, and that effect is exaggerated with very culturally diverse audiences. You're going to be fighting that battle no matter what, plus the time zone battle. It's about chalking these up against each other and deciding to move ahead anyway if it makes sense for you, or targeting your local audience if that makes more sense. If you're an Englishman selling to Americans, you're fighting a time zone difference, but your cultural difference is a lot lower, meaning the cost of living difference might make more sense. However, if you live in Central London, good luck, because cost of living there is probably as high if not higher than a lot of places in the United States. Ask me how I know.