Look, the SEO game is crowded, and there are so many scammers out there that people are wary of engaging with someone they've never heard of or don't know.
You have to build a brand. You have to show your expertise before anything else.
Think about who you make your big purchases from. Would you spend $10,000 on something or someone you've never heard of? Because that's what we're asking our clients to do.
You think spamming contact forms is going to work? Sure, if you want client who spend $200/month and expect $20,000 in work.
Referral spam in analytics? Hasn't worked since 2016
Make people come to you. Build your authority, show your expertise, and make people want to spend their money with you.