10 Upwork Proposal Strategies for Your First Freelance Job!
Whether you are an Upwork beginner or a Top Rated Plus like me, this post aims to help you win more contracts from Upwork clients.
When I started freelancing, I copied a proposal template and posted it on every job it seemed applicable to, but I got no response. I switched to writing a fresh proposal for each job the next week. This was much more time-consuming; I started getting interviews and got my first job within the same week. This indicates that proposals are one of the main pillars of getting freelance jobs to work from home. Proposal writing is an essential skill required of a freelancer, besides the digital skills we sell on the freelance platform.
Note that the immediate objective of your proposal is not to get the job. Yes, you read that right! The objective of your Upwork proposal should be to get an interview or call. Getting the job is the ultimate goal (not an immediate one). Hence, your call to action must be directed in that direction. For instance, your call-to-action can be something like, “Let’s jump on a quick call at your earliest convenient time” or “If you have any questions or like to learn more about how I can help you achieve the best result, contact me now”
Upwork proposals are a vital part of your success, and here’s how to write an Upwork proposal that gets you interviews!
Tip 1. Make it obvious that you read the Description
You can say it but it’s best to show it, for instance, by making specific references to some parts of the description and making it clear that you’ve read.
Tip 2. Personalise your Proposal to the Client
Use the client’s name, when possible. Simply check the previous reviews on the client’s profile for the name. Many times. It is there. So stop starting your proposal with generic stuff like, “Hi Prospect, Hi There,….”
Tip 3. Establish your Expertise
I once posted a video spokesperson job. Many freelancers’ proposals start with them introducing themselves. That’s nice, but who cares! This is not a cover letter for a 9–5 job. Make your proposal introduction focus on the client. Avoid those generic “I have 7 years of experience in bla-bla-bla”, instead, proof that you understand the client’s problem and proffer a solution.
Tip 4. Give some value upfront
Make constructive recommendations where possible in your proposal.
Some three weeks ago, I was to work on a video project for a brand. Their logo was attached to the description. That logo is a leak in their branding. I recommended that they should change it. They responded positively. My friend, who is an Upwork Top Rated Plus now too, got his first job on Upwork by creating and attaching the actual vector of a logo requested by a client description. He attached this as a sample in his proposal. The client hired him simply to make payments. That’s a risk, though. Be strategic about how you provide value upfront.
Tip 5. Economy of Word
Use simple sentences, and be brief and concise. Clients are typically impatient. Don’t use 25 words to express the same points you can use 15 words for. Less is more! Be detailed, but ensure succinctness. Avoid long paragraphs of text, make them shorter by removing less relevant points. I recommend the 50 -100 words count range.
Tip 6. Use Links
Instead of uploading samples every time you send a proposal and even encountering the 25Mb Upwork upload size limitation, you can upload your sample to Google Drive and share the link to the drive as part of your proposal. Dropbox, One Drive and a free 1 TB from TeraBox can be used for this purpose.
Tip 7. Call to action (CTA)
The last paragraph of your proposal should be a call to action. State the exact action you want the client to take after reading your proposal.
Tip 8. Use Video
I am not talking about your profile video here. I mean create an instant video using Loom for free to respond to the client’s job description and ensure the video is very well personalised to the client.
The video does not need to be studio quality but it should present you well as a professional.
Tip 9. Use Postscript
Research has shown that even when your prospective clients skip or only skim through your proposals, most of them read the postscript. Hence, always ad a PS to your Upwork Proposal. Your PS should be compelling to make the client read the entire proposal, a complementary service, a CTA… or anything you will love to tell the client in a situation where the client will only listen to one (just one) sentence you have to say.
Tip 10. Spell-check your proposal
Grammatical and spelling errors can ruin your effort. I installed Grammarly and Quillbot extensions on my Chrome browser. These amazing tools call my attention to spelling errors which I check and let them correct. You can copy and paste your proposal into the free Hemingway App to see how easy or how difficult it is to read your proposal. As nice as my recommended tools are, proofread your proposal again. These also can add some errors to your proposal in a bid to correct them.
Thanks for reading!
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