SHS034: How To Improve Your Social Skills & Soft Sales Abilities As A Freelancer In 2026
Intro
As we continue Season 2 of The Side Hustler’s Society, we’ve already established something important:
👉 Leads don’t make you money…
👉 Closing them does
And what determines whether someone buys from you?
👉 Trust
In this episode, Elijah Bilel breaks down one of the most overlooked skills in business:
👉 Sociality (social skills)
Because if you can’t build rapport, you can’t build trust…
And if you can’t build trust, you won’t make sales.
Episode Overview
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- What sociality is and how it affects your income
- Why lack of social skills kills sales opportunities
- The connection between rapport and closing deals
- How to improve your ability to connect with people
- A proven framework for building relationships naturally
Listen to the Episode
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Side Hustler’s Society Resources
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What Is Sociality?
Sociality is defined as:
👉 Your ability to:
- Relate to others
- Build relationships
- Use social skills to generate income
And here’s the key:
👉 This is directly tied to your ability to make money
Because most transactions happen through:
- Conversations
- Relationships
- Trust
Why Social Skills Are Getting Worse (And Why That’s an Opportunity)
One of the biggest insights from this episode:
👉 People are becoming less social
Why?
- Less need to interact in person
- More digital communication
- Fewer real conversations
The result?
👉 More socially awkward interactions
And that creates a HUGE opportunity:
👉 If you develop strong social skills, you stand out immediately
If you want to go deeper into this skillset, Elijah breaks this down even further on his dedicated channel:
👉 Check out the Social Dynamics YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/@EBSocialDynamics
This is where he focuses specifically on:
- Social skills
- Communication
- Confidence
- Real-world interaction strategies
Why People Don’t Buy From You
Assuming:
- You explained your offer clearly
- The person can afford it
Then the real issue is:
👉 Lack of trust
Which comes from:
- Weak rapport
- Poor communication
- Low social awareness
As Elijah explains:
👉 If they don’t trust you… they won’t buy
The 3 Core Elements of Sociality
This episode breaks sociality into three key components:
1. Social Awareness
Understanding the flow of conversation
2. Conversation Control
Being able to guide conversations naturally
3. Empathy
Showing genuine understanding
👉 If you lack any of these… people feel it
If you struggle with things like:
- Starting conversations
- Keeping them flowing
- Building rapport naturally
👉 You’ll want to watch the breakdowns here: http://www.youtube.com/@EBSocialDynamics
This is where Elijah goes deeper into the exact mechanics behind what works (and what doesn’t).
The GRIP Formula (Your Social Blueprint)
One of the most valuable frameworks in this episode:
👉 GRIP
- G – Gather Intelligence
- R – Reduce Resistance
- I – Initiate
- P – Position
This gives you a step-by-step system for:
- Meeting new people
- Building rapport
- Moving conversations toward opportunities
Step 1: Gather Intelligence
When you meet someone:
👉 Don’t pitch immediately
Instead:
- Ask questions
- Learn about them
- Build connection
Key idea:
👉 People love talking about themselves
And most people:
👉 Don’t feel heard in their daily lives
So when you give them that space…
👉 Trust starts building fast
The 5 Questions That Build Rapport
Elijah shares a simple structure:
- What do you do?
- How did you get into it?
- What do you enjoy about it?
- What challenges do you face?
- What are your goals?
You don’t need all five…
👉 But even 2–3 done well builds strong rapport
Avoid This Common Mistake
🚫 Don’t make it feel like an interview
Instead:
👉 Ask → Listen → Relate → Share
This creates a natural flow.
If you want to get better at:
- Reading people
- Responding naturally
- Building real connections
👉 Dive deeper here: http://www.youtube.com/@EBSocialDynamics
This is where these skills are broken down in real scenarios.
Why This Matters for Lead Generation
Here’s the big picture:
👉 Leads bring opportunity
👉 Social skills convert opportunity into money
Without social skills:
- You won’t build trust
- You won’t close deals
- You’ll lose opportunities
With them:
👉 Everything becomes easier
Real-World Example: Building The Veggie Outers
Elijah shares how he built The Veggie Outers:
- Over 300 members
- 20–25 people per meetup
- Started before algorithms helped discovery
How?
👉 Real conversations
👉 Real connections
👉 Real social skills
Final Thoughts
Elijah Bilel makes it clear:
👉 Social skills are not optional
They are:
👉 A money-making skill
If you develop them:
- You’ll build better relationships
- You’ll close more deals
- You’ll grow faster
Watch The Podcast On Youtube!
