If you’re anything like me, working at home can be a blessing and a curse. While I love being able to set my hours and work on whatever interests me most, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the routine of life especially when you’re working from home.
A common challenge for freelancers is staying motivated with their business. This can become especially difficult when clients are few and far between (or not paying), or if your client’s work isn’t going as smoothly as you’d like. But if you have any interest in being successful at freelancing, then it’s crucial that you stay motivated no matter what happens.
This article will cover 11 tips to drive more business on Upwork.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Master the art of crafting compelling Upwork proposals. |
| Leverage SEO writing skills to increase project visibility. |
| Understand the secrets to landing jobs on Upwork. |
| Generate consistent leads for your Upwork account. |
| Harness the power of client feedback for improvement. |
1. Message Clients Directly To Start A Conversation, Instead Of Just Inviting Them To Interview
Most Upwork clients are looking for a freelancer to start working on their projects immediately. So if you send an invitation to interview and the client does not respond, it is likely because he or she already has someone else in mind.
To get more responses from your messages, use the message function instead of inviting people directly. Your message should consist of some basic information about yourself and how you can help them with their projects.
This will allow you to start a conversation before actually interviewing for the job. It also gives you a chance to make a positive impression on clients that may not have been aware of your skillset when they first saw the posting on Upwork.
When writing your introductory message, try asking questions about their projects or needs so that they can see what kind of work would be involved if they hired you (i.e., “Do any specific tasks come up often?”).
If there is something specific that attracts your attention about the job description (e.g., “This sounds like something I’ve done before”), mention it briefly without making it sound like an advertisement it’s important not to come across as salesy here! It’s better just explaining why this opportunity interests you rather than trying to promote yourself first thing off-the-bat.”
When freelancing on Upwork, it’s essential to understand how to effectively land clients and succeed in the competitive marketplace. Our guide on 5 Steps to Make Sure You Land Clients on Upwork and Succeed provides valuable insights and strategies to boost your chances of securing projects.
2. Offer Clients Sample Work
When you’re new to Upwork, it’s hard to know what kinds of projects you can take on. You might feel like your portfolio isn’t impressive enough or your skills aren’t specialized enough. However, it’s important to remember that what matters most is that you’re qualified for the job.
You can help clients realize this by giving them examples of what kind of work you can offer. If a client asks for an app developer, but all your previous apps were games, don’t worry—just give him/her some examples of non-game apps that you’ve created and explain why they fit within his/her needs.
3. Show; Don’t Just Tell, What You Can Do
Your portfolio is your best way to show that you can do the job. It’s a collection of examples that shows off your skills and experience, so it’s important to make sure yours is up-to-date and well organized.
If you don’t already have one, create a portfolio on Upwork or another platform like Behance or Dribbble. If you do have a portfolio but haven’t updated it lately, make sure there are some fresh samples; this will give clients confidence that they can rely on you long term.
If possible, include examples of real projects instead of just screenshots of websites or apps; this helps show clients how far along in the process those projects were when they were done (and gives them more information about what kind of work might be involved).
If this isn’t possible for whatever reason (maybe because no one else saw the work), consider using case studies instead they’re especially effective if they involve past customers who were happy with their results!
4. Share Knowledge And Resources With Your Clients
If you have a piece of industry knowledge you can share, offer to share it with a client even if it costs $5 or $10. You don’t even have to give them the whole thing; just offer them links to resources that explain the basics for free and then ask for their email address so you can send them updates on what’s going on in the industry.
Show expertise by giving useful advice, not just about work but also about life in general. If a client has no idea how much money they should charge for an hour of work, don’t be afraid to give them some guidance on what is reasonable compensation based on their experience level, location, etc.
SEO writing offers a lucrative career path for freelancers, but it requires specific skills and techniques. Discover the secrets to successful SEO writing in our article on Why SEO Writing is a Profitable Career and pave your way to becoming an in-demand content creator.
5. Add New Skills To Your Profile Frequently
As you learn new skills, add them to your Upwork profile. If you want to improve in a particular skill, or if the skill is relevant to your work and that of your clients, add it. Don’t worry about having all of the skills already this isn’t about being perfect on Upwork; it’s about showing what you can do and how well you can do it.
If something is relevant to your current job, add it even if you don’t currently possess that skillfully yet. For example, if a client asks for help with web development and has an outdated website with Flash content on it (which doesn’t work in modern browsers), then they might appreciate knowing that their contractor will be able to update their site using HTML5 instead of relying on outdated technologies like Flash.
If a potential client knows this information before hiring someone else without mentioning why they have chosen not to use these outdated technologies but instead choose among other available options such as CSS animations made possible by modern browsers like Internet Explorer 11 or Firefox 27+, then he may decide differently about hiring someone else based off those characteristics alone (plus any other important details).
6. Write More Proposals
The more proposals you write and submit, the higher your chances of getting selected for a job. “The better you rank in Upwork search results,” says [Upwork’s Johnathan] Palmer, “the more likely it is that clients will find you.”
For example: If you write three proposals and submit them to the site, but only one of those proposals gets accepted by a client (and becomes an assignment), then that means only one out of three jobs was won. Not bad at all! But if instead, you were able to write six proposals and get five assignments?.
That means a 50% success rate and better odds of staying on top of Upwork’s algorithm as well as being seen by more potential clients who might need your services!
7. Keep Your Hourly Rate Visible By Providing Feedback And Closing Contracts Regularly
Your hourly rate is the first thing clients see when they search for a freelancer on Upwork. When they’re searching, they’ll be looking at a list of freelancers and their bid amounts, then scrolling through those bids to find someone who matches their job requirements. You want your hourly rate right there in front so that it catches their eye and so that you can get more business!
Feedback is also an important way to drive more traffic to your profile because it allows you to show off some of the work you’ve done for previous clients. Clients will browse through the feedback left by other buyers on your profile as well, so make sure yours is full of good reviews from happy customers (even if it’s just one).
Landing jobs on Upwork isn’t just about submitting proposals; it involves a unique approach. Learn the insider’s perspective in our post, The Secret to Getting a Job on Upwork: It’s Not What You Think, and discover the key to standing out among other freelancers.
8. Attend Upwork Webinars And Workshops To Learn Helpful Tips And Hear From Other Freelancers
Upwork webinars and workshops are online classes. You can attend them at your convenience, on your schedule. There’s no need to drive anywhere! If you do have a car, parking will be much easier than going to a traditional classroom or training facility.
There are many topics available for these Upwork webinars and workshops: [this list of topics could go here] Attendance is not mandatory, so if you don’t want to come into the office during your lunch break or after work hours specifically for this class, then don’t. The instructor will record everything so everyone has access to what was discussed in case they miss anything live.
9. List Your Most Relevant Skills First On Your Profile Page So Clients Can See Them Easily
When you’re logged in to your Upwork account, click on the menu at the top left of your screen and select “Profile.” This will take you to a page where you can edit your profile information. On this page, click on “Edit” next to each of the skills listed under your name.
Remember: If a client is looking at your profile and sees that you’re a front-end developer, but they need a back-end developer, they won’t hire you because they’ll assume that if you are good at one type of development then there’s no way for them to know how good (or not) at another type of development you may be.
To prevent this from happening and make sure that clients can see exactly what kind of freelancer they want to work with, list all relevant skills in order from the most relevant skill first (so front end) down towards the least important skill last (so database administration).
As a freelancer on Upwork, generating consistent leads is crucial for sustained success. Explore effective strategies in our guide, Ways to Generate More Leads for Your Upwork Account, and take your freelance business to new heights.
10. Be Sure The Rest Of A Client’s Job Description Matches Up With Their Primary Skill Requirements
In our experience, clients often don’t know exactly what they want. The who, what, and when of a job description can be vague. For example: “I have this content that needs to be optimized for SEO. Write two titles and 10 meta descriptions.” This is fine but it doesn’t give you much detail about how many pages need to be optimized, or if there are any restrictions on the content (for example no links allowed).
If you’re not clear about the details of the project requirements, then it’s difficult for you to provide an accurate estimate of how long it will take. You also risk sending an inaccurate quote because you haven’t factored in everything that needs doing – so your client may end up paying more than expected!
11. Make Sure Your Feedback Is As Constructive As Possible When A Job Ends
This shows that you are committed to working together and getting the job done well. The client will be able to see your feedback for any jobs that you have completed. Offering constructive criticism is a great way to show that you are committed to working together and getting the job done well. It may also help them appreciate what a good job you do!
If your client gives feedback regarding something that needs improvement, consider addressing their concerns in the next project. This shows them that you are willing to learn from mistakes and adapt accordingly.
Remember that competition for jobs is high on Upwork, so make your profile stand out from the crowd by telling members about yourself, showing them what you can do, and growing your skills regularly.
Don’t be afraid to be as specific as you can in your profile. If you can tell a potential client exactly what kind of project they’re hiring for, they’ll be more likely to pick you over other freelancers who don’t take the time to do so. Additionally, this will help them get a better sense of what it is that you do and how much experience you have with different types of projects.
Client feedback can be a valuable resource for freelancers to improve their services and reputation. Dive into the world of client feedback management with our article on How to Use Upwork Client Feedback to Improve Your Business and make the most out of your freelancing journey.
Final Thoughts
If you can, be sure to communicate with your client often. They must see the progress of your work and feel like you’re invested in the project.
If you can’t be available for the entire duration of a project, let them know as soon as possible. I had one client who would only contact me when he needed something done right away—but then again, he was also paying me $20 an hour so I don’t blame him!
You should also have some backup plans if they seem like they’re losing interest in working with you or just aren’t satisfied with your work. Sometimes things just don’t pan out and it’s better to end things now than later on down the road when it could become more complicated (and expensive).
Further Reading
Upwork Proposal Sample for Freelancers: Improve your Upwork proposal game by exploring this sample and learn how to make compelling proposals that stand out to potential clients.
Top 10 Tips for Boosting Your Success on Upwork: Discover the top strategies and tips to enhance your success as a freelancer on Upwork and increase your chances of landing high-paying projects.
8 Things to Keep in Mind Before Your First Upwork Assignment: Prepare yourself for a successful first assignment on Upwork by understanding these crucial factors and setting the right expectations.
People Also Ask
What Is Upwork?
Upwork is the world’s largest freelancer marketplace. It connects businesses with talented professionals in more than 100 countries and has over 13 million registered users across its platform. Upwork has been profiled by Forbes as one of the Best Websites for Finding Freelance Jobs, Business Insider as one of the 25 Most Valuable Private Companies in America, and Inc Magazine as one of the fastest-growing companies in America.
How Do I Build A Profile On Upwork?
Your profile will be an important part of your marketing strategy for finding new clients on Upwork; therefore it’s important to make sure that it speaks to your potential clients’ needs and makes them want to hire you for their project(s). You can start building your profile by clicking here or reading our article about how to create an effective freelancer profile.
How Do I Get More Jobs On Upwork?
Upwork makes it easy for freelancers and clients to connect, but that doesn’t mean you’ll always get the job. The best way to pick up more work is by staying active in your field and being ready to respond quickly when it’s time to submit a proposal or bid on a project.
Research your niche so you know what other freelancers are charging, who the most popular companies are hiring, and what their needs are likely to be. Keep an eye out for trends for example, if a company needs several graphic designers at once but they’re all booked up with other projects (or they live too far away), then this might be a good time for you as well!
How Do I Make My Profile Stand Out From The Crowd?
This can be a difficult question to answer if you don’t have any experience with Upwork. Before you try to stand out, make sure that your profile is complete and up-to-date. This means that your skills and experience should be listed in detail, along with links back to examples of your work.
Your portfolio should also be linked in case clients want to see more details about what kind of work you’ve done before. Finally, don’t forget about how people find projects to make sure that your location settings are adjusted correctly so that potential clients can find out where in the world (or galaxy) you live!
How Do I Know If I’m Invited For The Right Jobs?
To determine whether or not an offer is worth investigating further, look at the job posting first and foremost do they sound like something you would want/be willing? Secondarily consider what kind of rating they have received from other workers on Upwork; this will help give insight into how well respected this client might be within their field as well as what kind of workload might lie ahead for those who accept their offer(s).
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.