Hey folks, hope this is the best sub to ask this. For a bit of background, I’m a graphic designer specialising in brand identity design in an area there’s few jobs, with the only ones I’ve had being with awful bosses. Hence my decision to go self employed as so many designers do.

I’ve been working with a business advisor. The bloke hasn’t reviewed my business plan now four weeks in, just said it looked “impressive”. But said I need to improve my direct sales?

He doesn’t think social media is good for getting clients - says it gets interest and people browsing but no clients. So he’s had me form a sales letter, and end it with the insistence I will call the prospect to sell them my services? I didn’t do this and he said my first draft was crap and “he’d throw it in the bin”. But if someone sent me a letter and told me they would be in touch to call me to sell their stuff, I’d want to tell them to bugger off?

Clients who find you or come to you for a consultation based design service like my own would be interested in the first place, likely through providing value-based content on social media, surely? But he insists sending letters is the way you ensure you get clients. Bloke hasn’t reviewed my business plan, but due to the funding I have I’m obligated to have these short sessions with him. Am I not being open minded? Or is he not understanding my approach? My business is digital, I can work from anywhere, and I don’t want forceful sales to be what sells me. He also said my tone was “not business-like” so, bugger me for being an informal kind of guy I guess?

tl;dr: Surely I can reach more people through organic social media growth for free, rather than burn money posting sales letters? Let me know some thoughts. Thanks!