They keep you busy,
but in a false state of security.

Too many to just walk away.
Too few to build the kind of business that brings real freedom.

You get stuck in survival mode.
Anxious. Overthinking.
Feeling like an imposter.

That’s the trap:
Referrals don’t give you control.
You’re dependent. Waiting.
No leverage. No power.

And dependency makes you vulnerable as f*ck.

When the leads dry up, you panic.
You overthink.
You make desperate moves.

And in that desperation, you start chasing “overnight fixes.”
Falling for big promises from people you’d normally never trust.

Referral clients are not better clients 

Referrals don’t just make you dependent.
They also bring the wrong clients.

The kind that drain your energy.
That don’t value your work.
That keep your business stuck at the bottom of the rollercoaster.

That’s why the highs get lower over time.
Because you’re not in control of who shows up.

The Fix

Last week, Andrew called me. Panicking.

Referrals had dried up.
No real work for 6 month.
Yet payroll was due again. 

He thought he had a sales problem.

And yes, we gave him some quick fixes.
A 2-hour workshop, a few tools to kickstart his lead flow again.

But here’s the thing: it still felt like selling.
Awkward. Pushy. Forced.

The real shift only happens when you realize:
You don’t need to chase.
You need to attract.

That’s when sales becomes fun.
Because now you’re not “closing strangers.”

You’re having conversations
with people who already want to work with you.

How to make social media work for you.

Let’s get this straight:

• You don’t have to play the performance marketing game.
• You don’t have to become a content machine
• You don’t have to dance for the algorithm.

But, you do need to build a presence.
So when people come looking, you’re there. 
Visible.

Here’s the shift:

• Don’t just post your latest work or showreel. That belongs on your website.
• On LinkedIn, share your insights, your thinking, your perspective.
• On Instagram, show who you are, your taste, your world, your voice.

No, you don’t have to post your family life.
You don’t even have to show your face.
But you do have to be present.

And you have to publish consistently.
Not daily. 
Just alive.

2–3 times a week. 
Enough to keep your account breathing.
Enough to remind people you exist.

What can you do today?

Here’s how to stop being the best-kept secret and start attracting better clients:

1— Write down 5 simple answers:

• What’s the one mistake you see clients make over and over again?
• What’s the question you wish every client asked you before working together?
• What’s a belief clients have that you know is completely wrong?
• What’s one small decision that makes a massive difference in projects?
• What’s the conversation you keep repeating with every client?

2— Turn each answer into a short post.

• On LinkedIn → share the insight (your thinking).
• On Instagram → share the identity (your taste, your world).

3— Post 2–3 times this week.

Not for likes. 
Not for performance.

For presence. 
So when people look you up, they actually find you.

Rewrite every post with 3 angles,
and you enough content for 6-8 weeks. 

Content that actually attracts better clients. 

Conclusion

Referrals will keep you busy.
But they’ll never make you safe.

The only way to grow is to take control of your visibility.
To show up. To attract. To lead.

That’s exactly what we teach inside NOT on sale.

No matter if you are a freelancer or a multi-million dollar studio.
We know how to help you.
We have what you want. 

Let’s talk.
Message me.

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