← All questions

#343 · how to get good at sales (just start)

youtube ↗Client Acquisition

I'm living in England — should I stick to calling and emailing potential English clients compared to potential clients in the US? As an Englishman, would US businesses be open to buying my services?

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.

market selectionukusarbitrage

Related answers

youtube ↗Pricing

Nick says Princeo I'm planning to start my cold outreach. I just had one doubt. I'm an Asian, specifically Filipino, and I know without a doubt that also affects how people from US or UK view us. How can I confidently quote around 2,000 American dollars to them? So far, with my experience on Upwork, those who are more successful are those from US countries. When people know I'm from Philippines, they immediately lower the ceiling of the quote that I send them. What are your thoughts on this? And so on and so forth. Do you have any student wins that are from Asian countries who are successful with cold outreach? Would help a lot. Thank you.

Anyone who tells you where you are in the world doesn't matter is not being entirely truthful. If you're selling primarily to a United States audience where offshoring has a negative connotation for quality but a positive one for affordability, they'll apply that stereotype to you wherever you are. I'm not saying this to give you limiting beliefs, but because sometimes hearing a harder truth is better than hearing a nice perfect story that says location doesn't matter. Yes, you can make it, but there are tactical things you can do to improve your chances if you're from Southeast Asia or Indonesia selling to a Western audience. First, understand the cultural norms there. I've worked with people worldwide and lived in the Philippines for a few weeks; I learned that in more collectivist Asian cultures, people often avoid pointing out mistakes or speaking up about negative changes for fear of losing face or job security. In contrast, Americans and the British Commonwealth generally reward you for providing information that helps them make better decisions. A minor cultural difference like this is worth implementing across the board. There are also superficial tactics to improve your ability to land higher-paying jobs in American markets: speak with an American accent, adjust your name (e.g., shorten 'Sandep' to 'Sam' to avoid immediate offshore associations), and reduce your accent to align with the target market. These aren't about denying your identity but about communicating effectively. I wish we lived in a world where people were judged by character alone, but that's not the case right now. Aside from that, I've been experimenting with a faster podcast format—doing minimal prep and diving in—to cut runtime from 35‑40 minutes to 20‑25 minutes. Maker School now has about 2,500 members and is growing slowly. I'm also curious about the unfiltered channel's reception and have looked at beard‑shaving videos for any odd patterns, though it's likely just coincidence. Thanks for watching.

pricingcold outreachasianfreelancer
youtube ↗Sales

Does improving my American accent affect conversion rates in cold calls for a non-US entrepreneur?

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.

accentcold callsconversion rate
youtube ↗Client Acquisition

Are there methods or advice to get good paying clients if I have limited English, and how important is English for working with international clients?

English is a significant factor when you want to work with English‑speaking clients. They naturally expect you to communicate reasonably well, and lower mastery can lead them to mistakenly assume you are less intelligent. Think of your language ability as a straw: the weaker your English, the smaller the straw, limiting how much of your true intelligence can be conveyed. As your language improves, the straw widens and better reflects your actual capabilities. Cultural norms also play a role; different regions have varying expectations around hierarchy, communication, and workplace behavior. You can control cultural understanding by researching the market you’re targeting—learn their work hours, meeting styles, and expectations. While you don’t need perfect fluency in every language, improving English is advisable if you aim to sell to English‑speaking markets.

englishinternational clientslanguage
youtube ↗Client Acquisition

How can an Indian freelancer overcome trust and scam concerns when prospecting US‑ or Europe‑based clients?

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.

trustindian freelancerus europescam