Kill It On Freelance Marketplaces

If you’ve ever worked on a freelance marketplace, then you know that the landscape can be pretty cutthroat.

It can be hard to get any work if you’re an entry-level freelancer, and so many people are bidding on the same projects that it’s nearly impossible to stand out without some experience under your belt. That said, there are quite a few ways to score new gigs and make more money working on these sites. 

There are also plenty of mistakes you should avoid making if you don’t want to flush your reputation down the toilet (or just waste time). Want to come out ahead? Here are hacks for maximizing your potential in the world of freelance marketplaces:

Takeaways
1. Understand the importance of showcasing your skills and expertise on freelance marketplaces.
2. Develop a strong personal brand to stand out from the competition.
3. Build a diverse portfolio that highlights your best work and demonstrates your capabilities.
4. Take advantage of the feedback and rating system to establish a positive reputation.
5. Continuously update your skills and stay informed about industry trends to stay competitive.
6. Communicate effectively with clients, asking the right questions and providing clear expectations.
7. Pricing your services competitively while ensuring fair compensation for your expertise.
8. Focus on providing exceptional customer service to build long-term client relationships.
9. Leverage marketing strategies to promote your services and attract potential clients.
10. Never stop learning and improving to adapt to the evolving freelance marketplace.

Create An Attractive Profile

• Make sure your profile is complete and up-to-date by adding recent work to it.
• Use a professional profile picture (use a headshot or close-up image of yourself).
• Use a good headline that describes what you are looking for. It should be short, descriptive, and engaging.

For example: “Fast Java Developer Seeking Remote Work” or “Freelance Web Designer Seeking Hire.”

• Use an appropriate description that highlights your skills, experience, and education in detail so employers know exactly what you can offer them immediately when they look at your profile rather than having to read through long text messages full of information.

That may not be relevant for them at all times during the hiring process (for example: “I’m an expert in PHP with many years of experience working on large projects from both desktop & mobile apps”).

• Your summary should show off why they should hire you instead of someone else because it gives them insight into who is as well as why they should hire us specifically over other freelancers out there. Don’t forget about including links back here too.

Building a successful freelance career while maintaining a full-time job can be challenging. However, with the right strategies and mindset, you can achieve great results. Check out our article on 6 Reasons to Be a Freelancer in Addition to Having a Full-Time Job to discover the advantages of freelancing alongside your regular employment.

Get Good Feedback And Reviews

The first impression is everything. If you want to attract high-paying clients, then you need to have a profile that is easy on the eyes and showcases your skills.

• Make sure that your profile has good photos that reflect who you are and what kind of work you do.

• Make sure that it includes all the necessary information about yourself and what makes you unique among other competitors (such as being an expert in something specific or having some interesting experience).

• Make sure to emphasize the value of what they’re paying for if they choose to hire them as their freelancer rather than someone else’s service provider because it will help them come over their fears about hiring someone new into their life so that they can get more work done without any worries at all!

Use Proposals Wisely

A proposal is a formal offer to a client, outlining what you will do and how much it will cost. Proposals can help you get more work, more money, and more clients. You can use proposals to:

• Get new clients or projects by sending out a proposal and then following up with phone calls or emails
• Increase your hourly rate by using the same process above but asking for more money rather than offering discounts
• Build up reviews on freelancer marketplaces (they’re great for SEO!)

Up Your Level Of Expertise

• Learn more about your field.
• Take courses.
• Get certifications.
• Read books and articles, ask people in the know (via social media or traditional methods) for advice on the best things to read, do research on topics that interest you, and be sure to bookmark them in an Evernote notebook so you can access them whenever you need a refresher. 

And don’t forget that online resources like Quora are also a great way to learn more about any subject area.

• Don’t forget social media either. You’ll find plenty of helpful tips from fellow freelancers with similar interests who are willing to share their productivity hacks with you just remember not everyone will help out just because they’re friendly.

If someone offers advice without being asked first then go ahead and thank him/her but don’t expect another one anytime soon unless there’s something specific they want from YOU specifically (e.g., “I’m looking for an editor!”).

Generation Z is making a significant impact on the freelance economy. If you’re part of this generation and want to achieve success in freelancing, we’ve got you covered. Our guide on 15 Tips to Help Gen Z Achieve Success in the Freelance Economy provides valuable insights and practical advice to help you thrive as a freelancer.

Use The Right Keywords

When you’re bidding for a project, you want to use keywords that are relevant to the project and your audience. In other words, you don’t want to put a ton of effort into finding the best keyword only to find out it’s not relevant.

Use the same principles that you would apply when writing an article or blog post: pick keywords that are targeted toward your niche and audience without being overly specific.

For example, if I’m bidding on an app development project, I will choose “app developer” as one of my top 3-5 keywords because everyone knows what an app developer does but there aren’t many people who search for “app developer” when looking for one this makes it less likely that someone else is going after those same terms.

Become A Top Rated Seller

To become a top-rated seller, you need to provide the following:

• Good quality work, products, and services. The more you can get done for your clients in a short period, the better. This will save them money and make them happy.

• Good communication with your clients. Good communication means being polite when communicating with them over email or phone calls (and maybe even in person if you live close enough). 

You also need to respond within 24 hours so that they don’t feel ignored or forgotten about by their provider. Finally, it’s important not only what we say but how we say it as well; our tone should always be helpful and positive rather than condescending or argumentative

Be Accommodating With Deadlines

Some clients are going to need a lot more than you anticipated. Just because they’re paying for it doesn’t mean that their requests are reasonable or that they should be allowed to dictate the terms of the job.

If a client is asking for something outside the scope of what was agreed upon, don’t ignore it; just let them know that you can do some work on another project and then get back to them as soon as possible with what they can expect by way of completion time frame.

Be accommodating with deadlines even when there may not be any wiggle room in your schedule, try doing as much as possible within an acceptable timeframe so that when the deadline comes around and crunch time hits, things aren’t too stressful!

Always Deliver Quality Work

It’s important to deliver quality work that the client is proud of. They will send you positive feedback and testimonials, which can help you get more jobs in the future.

It’s also important to deliver on time and within budget because clients are less likely to use your services again if you don’t deliver what they want on time or within budget.

You must meet their expectations with each project so that they are satisfied with what you have delivered. It doesn’t matter if it costs a bit more money than originally agreed upon the main thing is that your client is happy with what has been produced for them!

Losing money while freelancing is a common concern, but it can be avoided with the right knowledge and precautions. Explore our article on 10 Reasons Why People End Up Losing Money Freelancing to understand the pitfalls to watch out for and learn how to protect your earnings as a freelancer.

Bid On Projects Only You Can Do Well

When you are bidding on a project, make sure that you’re bidding on a project only you can do well. In other words, don’t bid on projects that you can’t do or don’t know much about. 

Don’t bid on projects that are too expensive for your budget and don’t bid on projects so far away from your location it will take weeks to complete them.

The point of this article is to help freelancers find high-paying jobs quickly so they can get paid faster and start earning more money today!

Don’t Take On Too Many Projects At Once

While it can be tempting to work on as many projects as possible, you don’t want to spread yourself too thin.

This is especially true if you’re working with multiple clients at one time. You want to make sure that you’re spending enough time on each client so that they feel like they are getting their money’s worth out of your services.

If a client asks you for something small and simple, it would be a good idea to say no if bigger jobs are waiting in the wings.

If a client asks you for something technical or complex (like programming an entire website), it would also probably be best not to take them on as long as there is another project that isn’t quite so demanding hanging around looking for your attention.

Meet Or Exceed Expectations

If you deliver the project on time and make sure that it meets the client’s expectations, then you can consider yourself successful. But if a client is happy with your work, there’s no harm in going one step further by exceeding their expectations.

If you want to be successful on freelance marketplaces like Upwork or Freelancer, some things are just as important as having talent and skills.

Being flexible, being a good communicator (both written and verbal), being a good listener (and yes this means not speaking over others), being a good problem solver, and most importantly being a project manager with excellent organization skills.

Ask for Referrals or Testimonials

If you’re just starting as a freelancer, you’ll want to make sure that your profile is ready for all the business that comes your way.

One of the best ways to do this is by asking for referrals from past clients, colleagues, and friends. Referrals are an easy way for people to recommend you without having anything else to do with it besides sharing their opinion about the quality of your work.

When asking for referrals and testimonials, it’s important not only to get them but also to ask for reviews on sites like LinkedIn or Upwork! This adds credibility to your profile as well as helps you stand out among other freelancers who may be competing against each other for jobs.

Pay Attention To Clues In The Project Description

The project description is a goldmine of information. It’s where you can find clues about the client, their expectations, and the type of work they want to be done. Look at what they’ve written and see if any of it appeals to you. If it doesn’t, move on to another job posting.

The title is just as important because it’s what draws people in and makes them click through to read more about the job posting (or not). The title will also give you some insight into what kind of person might be hiring this freelancer and whether or not they’re worth working with!

Project tags are like keywords; while tags aren’t always effectively used by clients, they’re still helpful when searching for jobs and potential clients who may be interested in your work ethic or skillset. 

They’ll also let you know if this person has any similar interests as yourself so that both parties feel comfortable with each other before starting any kind of relationship together!

Deadline: Usually listed at the bottom under “Additional Information,” there should be a date listed here indicating when all applications must be submitted by so that everything gets processed right away without delay whether intentionally set up beforehand or not (but most likely will have been).

The freelance landscape is constantly evolving, and it’s essential to adapt to these changes to stay competitive. Discover how freelancing is transforming the way we work in our comprehensive guide: How Freelancing Is Changing the Way We Work. Gain insights into the latest trends, technologies, and strategies that can help you thrive in the evolving freelance industry.

Update Your Profile Regularly

Update your profile to keep it current. If you’ve been in business for a while, update your profile to reflect that. If you don’t have much work experience or portfolio samples yet, be sure to include a link to your website where clients can see more of your work.

When updating your profile, make sure that it’s both accurate and attractive. For example:

• Don’t put “I’m an expert at everything!” unless you are an expert at everything! Instead, be specific about what kinds of projects you’re good at (and maybe even list some past successes).

• Don’t say that you’re looking for new clients when there’s nothing on the site saying who referred them it looks suspicious.

• Add testimonials from previous clients whenever possible so potential customers know they’ll get good value from working with you as well as seeing proof that others have been happy with their projects before them.

Research Your Buyer/Market Thoroughly

Your buyer/market is the most important factor in pricing your work. Before you start making a piece of art, it’s important to know what they want, what their budget is, and what they have paid for similar work.

If you are selling on an online marketplace like Fiverr or Freelancer, this research can be done with some simple keyword searches and a bit of digging into the website’s FAQ section (they often contain answers to common questions).

Asking questions like “How long do my orders take?” “What is the average cost per hour?” or “What are typical prices for similar providers?” can give you some insight into how much other people charge and their experience level as well as how long they expect things to take them.

Improve Your Communication Skills (Online)

Be clear and concise in your communications, whether you are writing an email, message, or post. 

Use emoticons to show emotion where it’s appropriate, but don’t overdo it.

Don’t use too many long sentences in the beginning since clients may not have the patience to read through a very long paragraph. 

Break up the paragraphs into smaller chunks so that they are easier for clients to digest quickly. If a client has questions about how something works, don’t assume they know what you mean when explaining it be sure you explain it clearly and concisely.

Turn Bad Experiences Into Positive Feedback Opportunities

As a freelancer, you are bound to get negative feedback. Whether it’s because of a bad experience with a client, or just because someone doesn’t like the work you do (or don’t), you must learn how to deal with these situations in a way that allows you to turn them into opportunities for improvement.

The first step is realizing that your clients are not perfect either. They will have different needs and expectations, as well as varying levels of patience, and they, ‘re probably going through life struggles similar to yours.

It’s important when working on projects together that both parties treat each other with respect even if they don’t agree with each other at times; this goes both ways!

However, sometimes things happen despite our best efforts; negative experiences can happen between clients and freelancers alike. But rather than letting those experiences define our careers negatively, let’s make sure we use them as learning experiences instead so we never make those same mistakes again!

As a freelancer, having the right skills is crucial for success. Our article on Freelance Skills Every Freelancer Should Have outlines the essential skills that can set you apart from the competition. Learn about communication, time management, marketing, and more to enhance your freelance career and achieve your goals.

Learn How To Say No (Politely) When Necessary And Maintain Good Boundaries With Clients

You’re a freelancer, so you probably like saying “no” to your clients (when it’s necessary). But there are some instances when it’s not just proper courtesy; it’s part of keeping your business running smoothly and making sure that you get paid for the work that is done.

Here are two reasons why saying “no” is important:

• When you need to say no to a client request because it doesn’t align with your brand or isn’t something you want to do in the first place. If someone asks for a hundred unique designs in 24 hours, tell them no if this conflicts with what is already on your plate.

You can also tell them no if they won’t work that doesn’t align with who/what an agency represents (for example, working with an agency specializing in fashion designing may not want any other type of graphic design).

• When there isn’t enough time available between projects to take on another project without affecting quality and performance levels during existing projects. 

This could be due to backlogs or simply being booked up all day every day without any downtime or breaks between projects, either way, this kind of situation would require some serious negotiation skills between both parties involved before agreeing on anything remotely close together!”

Final Thoughts

If you’re new to freelance marketplaces, congratulations on getting started. And if you’ve been around the block a few times, we hope these tips helped take your business to the next level. Let us know how it goes in the comments below!

Further Reading

Here are some additional articles that provide further insights and perspectives on the freelance marketplace:

A Fresh Take on the Freelance Marketplace: This Forbes article offers a fresh perspective on the freelance marketplace, discussing its growth, challenges, and opportunities.

Freelancers Brace for a Difficult Job Market: Digiday explores the current job market for freelancers and provides insights into the challenges they face and how to navigate them.

Freelancing is Dead Simple: Don’t Take on Sh*tty Clients: Tim Denning shares his perspective on freelancing and emphasizes the importance of not accepting low-quality clients to maintain a successful freelance career.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about freelancing:

How do I find freelance clients?

Finding freelance clients can be achieved through various methods, including networking, online platforms, social media, and building a professional website/portfolio.

How do I set freelance rates?

Setting freelance rates requires considering factors such as experience, industry standards, project scope, and desired income. Researching market rates and valuing your skills appropriately is essential.

How do I manage my time effectively as a freelancer?

Managing time effectively as a freelancer involves setting clear priorities, creating a schedule, avoiding distractions, and utilizing productivity tools. It’s important to establish a healthy work-life balance.

How do I handle payment and contracts as a freelancer?

When working as a freelancer, it’s crucial to establish clear payment terms and contracts with clients. Using professional invoicing software and creating legally binding contracts can help protect your interests.

How can I market myself as a freelancer?

Marketing yourself as a freelancer involves building a strong online presence, showcasing your portfolio, leveraging social media platforms, attending industry events, and seeking client referrals.

How Many Freelancers Should I Expect To Compete With For Work?

It depends on the marketplace. Some are more competitive than others, but in general, you can expect to compete with hundreds of other freelancers for each job.

What If I Don’t Have Any Experience As A Freelancer?

That’s okay! Most projects on these marketplaces are small and straightforward, so even if you’re new to freelancing, you’ll be able to complete them easily.

Is It Worth It To Take On Gigs That Pay Less Than My Usual Rate?

In our experience, yes! The lower-paying jobs often lead to higher-paying ones down the road. Plus, you never know when a client will refer you to someone else who pays better than they do it’s always worth your time to explore all opportunities equally.

How Do I Get Paid?

You get paid directly from the client. You can expect payment within 24 hours of completing a job. You can also choose to have us pay you directly if you prefer just let us know which option is best for you when you sign up!