Why Can’t I Explain What I Do? The New Freelancer’s Biggest Headache

Question: Why do so many new freelancers struggle to clearly explain what they do and why clients should hire them?

You know that feeling when someone asks “So, what do you do?” and you just… freeze up? Or worse, you start rambling about all the different things you can do without actually explaining why anyone should care?

Yeah, welcome to the club. It’s like the #1 problem every new freelancer faces, and honestly, it’s not your fault. Nobody teaches you how to talk about yourself when you’re just starting out.

The Answer: It’s Not About What You Do – It’s About What Problems You Solve

Here’s the thing most new freelancers get backwards: clients don’t really care about your skills. They care about their problems.

When you say “I do web design,” what they hear is “cool story bro.” But when you say “I help small businesses get more customers through websites that actually convert visitors into sales,” suddenly they’re paying attention.

The secret sauce? Stop talking about yourself and start talking about them. Here’s how to flip that script:

1. Start with their pain point – What keeps your ideal client up at night? What’s frustrating them? What’s costing them money or time?
2. Connect your solution to their problem – Don’t just list what you do. Explain how what you do fixes their specific headache.
3. Make it concrete and specific – Instead of “I help businesses grow,” try “I help local restaurants fill more tables by creating social media content that makes people hungry.”
4. Focus on outcomes, not features – Nobody cares that you know Photoshop. They care that you can make their brand look professional enough to charge premium prices.

The Evidence: Why This Actually Works

This isn’t just feel-good advice – there’s real psychology behind why this approach works better:

1. People buy solutions, not skills Think about it. When you buy aspirin, you’re not buying acetylsalicylic acid. You’re buying “no more headache.” Same thing with freelance services. A restaurant owner doesn’t want social media management – they want more customers walking through the door.

2. Specific beats generic every single time “I help everyone with everything” sounds like you help no one with nothing. But “I help divorce lawyers get more clients through Google ads” – now that’s someone who knows their stuff.

3. Clear communication builds trust When you can explain exactly what you do and who you help, potential clients think “this person gets it.” When you’re all over the place, they think “this person doesn’t know what they’re doing.”

4. It makes pricing conversations easier When someone understands the value you bring, they’re not just comparing your hourly rate to the competition. They’re thinking about the cost of NOT solving their problem.

Real example: I know a freelance copywriter who went from “I write website copy” to “I help SaaS companies turn their confusing websites into lead generation machines.” Guess which version gets better responses?

Your Homework (Yeah, I’m Giving You Homework)

Ready to nail your value proposition? Try this exercise:

1. Pick ONE type of client – Don’t say “small businesses.” Say “local bakeries” or “B2B software companies” or whatever.
2. Identify their biggest problem – What’s the thing that makes them want to pull their hair out?
3. Write this sentence: “I help [specific type of client] [achieve specific result] by [what you actually do].”
4. Test it out – Try it on a few people. Do they immediately get it, or do they look confused?
5. Refine and repeat – Keep tweaking until you can say it without stumbling and people respond with “oh, that’s interesting, tell me more.”

Look, I get it. When you’re new, it feels scary to niche down and get specific. What if you’re missing out on other opportunities? But here’s the truth: being everything to everyone makes you nothing to no one.

The freelancers who make real money? They’re the ones who can clearly explain why they’re the obvious choice for a specific type of problem.

So stop trying to be a Swiss Army knife and start being a really good hammer for the right kind of nail.

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Struggling with pricing your services once you’ve nailed your value prop? Check out our free rate calculator to make sure you’re charging what you’re actually worth. And if you want to dive deeper into building a profitable freelance business, grab our complete guide here.